Irony of Eden
by Lionpawheart
Summary: Behind every great man is a woman, and behind Ezio is a sadistic and violent, but maternal and loyal Eden Cleare, a member of a nameless gang in New York, who's just happy to get so far away from the hellhole she once called home.
1. Prologue

Author's notes: Alright, here we go. I was bored, I played a little too much of the game, inspiration hit, sparks flew, the keyboard broke, and here it is.

Before there are any comments, let me get this straight. The main character, Eden Cleare, is a sarcastic, blunt woman who lived through hell, and yet still manages to retain her humanity. I love the way her character turned out, really, and so far, she's very fun to write, especially the dialogue. I hope you enjoy reading about her as much as I love writing about her.

And of course, Ezio. Gotta love him. I haven't really got his character ironed out, but hopefully I hit the nail on the head. If not... well, try to bear with me.

* * *

"There she is!"

Well... damn.

A lovely introduction, no? Do forgive my lack of manners, because somehow, when I'm chased by three heavily armed policemen, I tend to forget trivial things such as being polite. It must be an illness.

But I'm still chased by those three heavily armed police men, so bug off while I run.

Sharp turn, another, and I sprint down the familiar alleys trying not to step in questionable puddles as I ran. Seriously, can't they dump their water somewhere else? Then again, maybe they mean to make me vomit on the run. Maybe it would slow down the men behind me... or maybe they are just mean.

Either way, let's get the explanations out of the way so you can fully enjoy my sarcasm on the matter at hand, shall we? Currently, I, Eden Cleare, was running very fast away from police men. I guess you gather that much, right? Why, do you ask, I'm running? Why, because somehow they don't like it when I snipe one of the "upholders of the law" when he is trying to hold down one of my friends. Speaking of Jake, I hope I've given him the distraction he wanted, and he better be grateful, because all he would get is a short sentence, while I just earned myself a life-time one. And with the things they might find in my bag, I might even get a worse punishment.

Oh well. I guess didn't like the freedom that much anyway.

But glancing over my shoulder and seeing two (the third one disappeared) of them, bravely roaring after me, waving their guns and sticks everywhere, I decided that I'm lying. I like freedom very very much! I don't want to go to a cell! They smell funny!

At full speed, I took a leap, grabbing onto a ledge that my boys made especially for these get-away's, and swung my legs over the ridge, onto the roof. The idiots in the street probably can't get up here, but I wasn't taking any chances, and kept running. Really, though, it was my luck that we are in the regions of the city where the building aren't at least thirty floors, otherwise it would have taken a lot longer to get away from my pursuers. I contemplated for a second, tempted to stand over them and laugh for a while, but that's an easy way to get a bullet in your gut, so I sighed and turned away from the edge, going to the opposite one.

Ah, night time. Loved it so much. Everything became real, dimensional, magical, endless. Or some other junk that you would read in a crappy book. I liked night time because that was the time when I was alive, whether it was in clubs, drinking the time away, or on the streets with my boys, getting into trouble where possible, it was the only time I really felt like I had a life outside the four walls of my apartment. My, the city looks small from here, which isn't really possible, since I'm standing on a two floor house... And I don't remember there being a church around this place...

Wait a moment... this isn't New York.

I stumbled on the edge of the roof, suddenly struck frozen. The scene around me was definitely not my birth place and hell. It was not the place that was as familiar to me as the flaming whip of the devil. This was not- screw it, I'm out of metaphors. This wasn't New York, plain and simple. Which is physically impossible, because as far as I know, humans can't teleport. But now that I think about it, I don't hear gunshots anymore, or the yelling of my dim pursuers. Everything was quiet as a school two minutes after the final bell.

Okay, let's start small. I dropped my heavy bag beside me so I wouldn't fall off by accident, and leaned over the edge of the roof, which was laid out with some sort of tiling I couldn't see properly in the dark. It was a long drop, a lot longer than the one I climbed a few minutes ago. There were balconies overflowing with flowers and greenery, windows with ornate frames, the streets were clean and beautiful, and lanterns were hung out everywhere. I never seen something like this at home, except maybe in China Town. This looked like...

I don't know, some European city. My hands shook a little as I tried to explain how I came to be here to myself, at least. There was not logical explanation to this, it was just like magic. One moment I was chased by very unfriendly cops, in the hellhole I call home, and the next, I'm standing on the roof of a building in a city on the other side of the planet. Maybe I'm dreaming. Maybe the cops managed to knock me out while I was running, and this was all just a weird product of my tired mind. I felt around for the familiar handle of my gun, and then dug my nails into my own skin.

Okay, ow! Yeah, not a dream! I sucked on my bleeding palm, and looked down at my bag in thought. Then I looked back the way I came. And suddenly, a huge smile spread on my face.

This is epic.

Before you ship me off to the mental asylum, let me quickly explain. I hated that gut hole. Wherever I am now, it can't be worse. Besides, the fact that I just possible teleported was more awesome than... than... me? Yeah, that works. Once I figure out what's going on, maybe I can actually live for a little. After all, the people I remotely cared about were now either dead or in prison, so hey, might as well make the best of this situation!

Now, about where to go... I sat down, crossed legged, and tried my best to think. Suddenly, waves of exhaustion washed over me like some cheesy love promise in the sand, but I forced myself to focus, hoping the adrenaline would be enough to figure my situation out. I currently had about a hundred dollars in my bag, ten knives, three guns, a first aid kit, my lock-picks, my cellphone, iPod, fake ID, and a whole bunch of other goodies I kept around just in case, preferring to be prepared rather than dead. It was dark around me, though the sky seemed to lighten up a little on the horizons, so I concluded wherever I am, it was in a different time zone. In New York, it was just before midnight. I was at least in Europe then, or somewhere around there. I got out my cell, and flicked it open. The light made me close my eyes partially. Strange... no signal. I "hmphed" and put it away. Next, I decided it would be safer to have my more... intimate possessions on me, so I stowed the ID and one of my hand guns into an inside pocket of my black leather jacket, though there was nothing to be done with my baby. My sniper rifle had to stay in it's case, in my bag. Hopefully I won't get searched any time soon. Aside from that, there wasn't much else to hoard. Except my knives, but those were already hidden on various parts of my body.

Then I looked around, and stood up, shouldering my bag. For some strange reason, there were nice looking shelters littered around the roofs, and I headed for the nearest ones. I don't know what they're for, and to be perfectly honest, I don't think I want to know. I shifted aside the curtain, and seeing no one inside, stepped in.

Maybe by some miracle, things might clear themselves up tomorrow. Or today, now, but I was so tired from my earlier, ahem, excitement, that I fell asleep quickly, not minding the cold one bit. This is probably a dream, anyway, and my mind is just playing tricks on me. Any other times I dreamed of escape, I was very violently returned to Earth, and my routine consisting of killing, running, and of course, getting away with all of it restarted itself.

* * *

What woke me up was the rude change of lighting. The sun was now at an angle that managed to go through the small space between the curtain and the wood of the frame, landing on my face. My eyes, more specifically, which started burning after a few seconds.

I was not used to waking up fully dressed, really, or with my handgun digging into my thigh. I sat up, fully awake and thinking within seconds. God bless my ancestors for my ability to wake up within moments...

Now, first order of business to to find out where I am. This is not a city in the US, I'm sure of it. After that, maybe I can find some sort of job. I had enough money for now, but that would run out. Then again, I'm also a great pickpocket when I feel like it, and breaking into one of the more expensive houses wouldn't be a challenge. So money won't be a problem, but finding a place to sleep would be a bit harder. I was twenty two with my real ID safe in a secret pocket of my bag, but I didn't want to explain how I managed to get into this country, wherever I am, without a passport or whatever other documents I needed for it. That would be a very short explanation, before they stuff me in a police station or some mental institution.

"Well, sir, you see, I'm not from around here, I was running away from some cops after killing a guy, and then POOF! I'm here. Can I get a room in your hotel anyway?"

I snorted at the thought. Not happening.

The events were making me a little giddy, actually. I was out of the country, and out of my gang's reach, I was finally free! They would look for me, but they can't track me, because they won't believe I actually teleported! I guess leaving my sister behind isn't the most noble thing to do, but the bitch can survive on her own, something she always threw in my face, saying she didn't need or want me beside her. I sighed. We're better off as far away from each other as possible.

Hey, I wonder if my discovery of teleportation is worth anything. That would get me plenty of money... though I can't really explain what I did, and I don't want to be shipped to some place while they do tests on me, so I guess that's out. I stood up, gathering my bag and climbing outside the little shelter, my feet stepping lightly onto the wooden surface of the small stage that the tent stood on. With the sun out, the city looked even more cheerful, the walls a pleasant beige and orange colors, and the rooftops a faded red. And it was definitely more alive- I could hear the people talking below, some louder than others. Especially one, he was very very loud.

"You're not supposed to be up here!" I blinked, looking up to see some man stand on the roof opposite of me, wearing the most ridiculous clothes ever. Strangely, he had a bow and a sword, too. I shifted my eyebrows together. He had a Spanish, or maybe an Italian accent to his voice, though he spoke English. Or, at least I think he did. If I actually managed to teleport, maybe I somehow magically learned Italian or Spanish, as well?

"Just point me to the nearest ladder, then!" I shouted back, my voice a little hoarse. All I wanted to do was laugh right now, but... He grimly pointed to the one beside him. I sighed. I looked at the roof where he stood, scaling it. Not that far, and a bit lower. I took a step back, and ran for it, pushing off the edge with all my strength, and I...

Almost fell, but thank good my muscles had some rest this night and I barely had any trouble pulling myself up. The man looked at me with a dumbfounded expression. I guess that's not how I was supposed to get over here...

"Um, well, it was nice. See you." I muttered, and before he shook himself back to reality, I quickly climbed down the ladder. Before I got out of sight though, I snickered, yelling, "And geez, what's with the tights? We don't need to see that!"

My bag was weighting my down a lot, but I was used to it, though I made sure is was slinged across my chest, just in case. The last thing I needed was for it to be stolen right now.

The people were dressed strangely, to say the least. Women were wearing dresses, generally either velvet, with high hair styles, or slightly more poor, generally the ones sweeping the streets and working in the numeral stores I looked through. The men were wearing... ahen, tights, looking as if they stepped out of a history book, but there were some normal ones, that were dressed more simply, though having a sneaky look to them. I drew attention, I stood out- I was about the only woman wearing pants around here, as well as a white t-shirt and a leather jacket. My brown hair was cut short- I chopped it off a few weeks ago when a cop grabbed my pony tail while chasing me. Thank god I was not alone, and my mother was not around to see it. I only kept it long because she used to love braiding it.

But enough grim thoughts. I left those things behind. No more. New York is now just a painful memory of hell, and the weird tattoo on my arm a simple picture, no longer having any meaning to it. Even though for some reason, my sister claimed that it was not the gang that branded me... But my sister claims a lot of things, and I don't care for any of them.

I kicked some random rock on my way. I didn't care about fitting into the enviromnent, as long as it didn't give me trouble. They people were dressed strangely, but maybe I'm simply in a historical part of Italy, or wherever, filled with loonies who dress that way?

I suddenly noticed what was wrong with the picture. It was... too clean. The sky had a clear tint to it I've never seen before. The streets lacked the stray cigarrete buts and gum, there were carts with pink leaves piled in them, though it looked like decorations, giving the houses around them a cheerful light. And the walls were all in nearly perfect conditions, barely a hint of vandalism that was native to the streets of New York. No light posts, not a car in sight, I couldn't see anything electrical around me at all. The shops that lines the walls didn't have cashier machines...

Where am I? Please don't tell me I time traveled as well as teleported... I think one brain fuck is enough for one day...

I suddenly felt very dizzy. This was not possible. How... what... No, not possible. I need to find directions, somewhere, anywhere, get me out of this place. But where would I go? Home is not an option. Maybe I can make for England or Germany, or perhaps Russia. Moscow is a big place, always moving, much like New York was, maybe I can blend in there.

I was snapped out of my thinking by something bright. And I mean, really bright. I looked up in some wander, just to wrinkle my nose in disgust at the heavy smell of cheap perfume and sex in the air.

The building in question was a huge mansion, decorated with red banners and a lot of flowers. A brothel, by the smell of it all. I sighed. Was there much choice? I don't know this city, and those "guards" don't seem friendly. I took a deep breath (instantly regretting it) and headed to the door. I swallowed the lump in my throat, and knocked, waiting.

* * *

This is an introductory chapter, things are going to pick up in the next. Not much happening right now, just a prologue.


	2. Chapter 1

Author's note: Heaps of hugs to my new beta, sphinx81 , who helped a great deal with rewriting this. Thank you very much for all your help! Hopefully, now, Eden can be more likable than before, and get away from the dangerous Mary Sure zone. I hope everyone can still enjoy the story, despite the drastic change.

* * *

The woman that opened the door was not what I expected, actually. She was wearing, if I had to guess, servant's clothes, with a white sheet covering her hair, and her clothes gray cotton. She looked at me in wonder.

"Can I help you?" she asked, cautiously. What, were they expecting trouble?

"I-" What? What was I doing here? Seeking work? Ew, no. And I won't be able to sleep here with the smell, even if they let me. "I just need some directions. Can I come in?"

It's amazing how polite I can be when I try to, no? The woman searched my face, but nodded, opening the door wider. I walked in, slipping past her. She paused looking outside, and then shut the door.

The smell was worse here, adding a flowery scent in as well. Women in very short dresses and strange hair styles were fluttering around, giggling, and I could swear I heard singing somewhere in the depths of the mansion.

"Sister, who is it?" I heard a calm, female voice. The girl looked at me, raising an eyebrow.

"Eden Cleare," I decided I didn't have to lie anymore. There was no one that could recognize me. The woman that came out from out of nowhere looked different than the other girls. She was older, and her dress was red velvet, going down to the floor, jewelry in her hair. I licked my lips- pearls. Real ones, too. Those fetch quite a price, especially in large amounts.

"Miss Cleare, welcome. I am Paola."

"Um," I wasn't sure how to reply. For the first time in my life, I stilled my sharp tongue, though I didn't bow to her, on principle. Absently, I noticed the girls around me were banding together, gawking at me. "Right. Okay, listen, I'm new around the city, and I need some help, or a place to stay. If you can point me in the…Is something wrong?" I suddenly asked, noticing the way her eyes kept darting to the room she came from.

"It's alright," she sighed slightly. "You are welcome to stay here, if you wish," I shifted my eyebrows in suspicion. That was easy. Too easy.

"I can't pay you, I'm sorry the money I have isn't worth anything here," And like hell am I going to sell one of my knives. I'd rather cut off my fingers.

"No payment necessary, though..." she suddenly turned away from me, to that room, and I heard a sob echo. She seemed unnerved as she moved over there. I followed her, noticing the girl that greeted me disappeared.

Inside the room stood a large bed, and lots of flowers, with heavy looking curtains and expensive rugs. It was all very strange to me, not seeing a TV around, no phones, no lamps, only candles. And the source of the sobbing was a woman sitting on the bed, wearing a pink dress that looked noble origin, and dark hair, as well as a darker complexion than what I saw around my home city. Beside her, in a praying position in front of- feathers? - was an older woman, looking vaguely similar to the crying girl.

Paola went to the weeping girl, while I walked around the bed to get a look at the other woman's face. Her eyes were open wider than average, and she was staring at her clenched hands.

"She's in shock," I whispered. I knew that face all too well. It was like this one day when my mother came home, a year after dad left. As well as the face my sister had when I had to carry her all the way home after I found her in an alley, curled up around herself. "Who did this?" The crying woman looked at me with red eyes.

"Who are you?" she asked, sniffing. I licked my lips.

"Someone who can kill the bastard that did this," she blinked, taking in my clothing and my hair. She seemed confused. "Just tell me who, and I'll find him." Like I found the two that did that to my mom and sister.

"Right now is not the time for that," Paola spoke, eying me with interest. "Claudia and Maria are taking refuge here while their brother and son is looking for the man who was responsible for this."

"What's your brother's name?" I asked Claudia. She quit sobbing for a second.

"E- Ezio Auditore,"

Auditore. That name sounds familiar. Somehow, maybe, I heard something like that mentioned...

I looked at the crying woman, and she looked back through tired, red eyes. "I've been trying to get her to talk for hours and hours! She won't even respond anymore!"

I hesitated, chewing on my lip. "Change her clothes, undo her hair, and try to get her to lie down. It should help a little, though unless she's injured somewhere, there's not much else you can do for now. And for the love of god, stop crying, it only upsets her more!" I snapped at Claudia as some servant girls dashed around, doing as I said. The woman glared at me, and I sighed. That came out wrong. "I'm not good at this... Just... try not to cry around her?" Her expression cleared. "What I mean is it'll help a bit if you give her something else to focus on," I muttered and she nodded as she joined in the madness around.

I sighed. What am I getting myself into? I did a quick inspection, but the woman was not injured in any way, unless it was internal bleeding. "We probably need to call an ambulance, I only know the basics!"

"What is an ambulance?"

Those four words made me freeze. I turned to Paola, slowly, momentarily blocking out the movements around me. "Paola, what year is it?"

She stopped what she was doing and looked at me in shock. "It's 1476. How can you not know this?"

Ignoring the curious, slightly fearful looks, I groaned, sinking onto the bed.

"Are you alright?"

"Yes- maybe... I need a bath..." I suddenly stated. Baths help me calm down. I received a slightly confused nod, and I sighed gratefully. I took off my jacket, stuffing it into my bag. It was too warm anyway.

"Annetta can show you where to go." Paola said. But just as I was about to leave, her eyes suddenly snapped back to me, and she took hold of my left arm in a flashing movement I did not expect from her. I stifled the urge to rip her hand off, though with some knew I wasn't used to people touching me.

"Something wrong?"

"That tattoo. Where did you get it?" she asked, her voice suddenly urgent and more aggressive. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"I had it for as long as I can remember. Why? Does it mean something?" I glanced down to the strange round triangle-like symbol on my upper arm. Paola released me, a warm smile suddenly appeared on her face.

"I'll explain later. Go on. Take your bath," Annetta pulled me away before I could get into details.

I walked out only fifteen minutes later, now feeling a lot fresher than I did the day before. I refused to take the clothes Paola and her girls offered me, saying that I felt more comfortable in my own clothing. Not to mention a dress would hinder my movements... and I was a little horrified at the idea of wearing one. Granted, I still stuck out like a sore thumb. But now was not the moment for it, I had more important things to deal with than clothes.

Drying my hair quickly, and barely brushing into acceptable condition made me look a little more female, at the very least. Well, what can I say? Despite being a backstreet girl, I liked being neat.

When I was done, I traced my way back to the room where Claudia and her mother were. Maria was changed into more free clothing, and her hair was let out to her shoulders.

"She refused to lie down." Claudia informed me, "But I think the change helped, she agreed to eat, though there's still no reaction." Suddenly, out of nowhere, she broke down again, tears rolling down her cheeks. It was so sudden that I didn't even react for a second. The woman was upset, and from what I _do _know of people, they like physical comfort as well as emotional. I tentatively gave her a hug. It was a somewhat foreign gesture to me. But it seemed like the right idea. "I've been trying to get her to talk, and with our house is destroyed, and father and my brothers arrested, Ezio gone to find them... !" I patted her on the back for the lack of anything better. Stepping away a minute later, she was only sniffing slightly. Well, looked like the hug worked, and a good thing too- I wasn't sure what else I could do to calm down a crying woman.

"You seem to have experience in this." she seemed mildly curious now, "If you don't mind me asking, who-?"

"My mother." I said, stony faced. "And my sister."

"And did they get through of it?" she asked, slightly fearful. She wanted to know if her mother would come back to her, and the right thing to say would be that everything would be okay, but I had a truth policy for these things. I bit my lip.

"My sister did." A pause. Then she gasped her hand going to her mouth.

"And your mother?"

"Died a week later. She was injured to severely, and we didn't have any money for a hospital." I sighed. "My sister pulled through, though." I looked at Maria, with sadness that I haven't felt in a while. I walked over to her, and she did not return my gaze. She looked different without the noble wear, though it was a positive change.

"I'm really sorry for your loss," Claudia stammered.

"It was years ago. I deal." I dismissed it, and she seemed to be stricken by the lack of emotion in my voice. "The human mind is a beautiful thing; we are blessed with short memory. Whatever I felt for either of them back then faded long ago. But yours is more recent- I think I should be the one apologizing."

She didn't reply, and I wondered how that phrase would sound to someone. Dammit, I was trying to help here! What are you supposed to say to people in these kinds of situations?

"I think my brother is back." Claudia suddenly said, listening. I nodded, standing up.

"I want to talk to him, then. If he's going to kill whoever did this, I want a part in it." Claudia looked at me strangely, but walked with me down the stairs.

"Are you sure we've got the right building?" An unsure, accented, but attractive male voice could be heard from down the stairs.

"Oh, yes, we're here." The woman laughed lightly at his discomfort, and I realized that was the girl that greeted me in the first place.

"It's a pleasure to make your acquaintance, Messier Ezio." I heard Paola say.

"And you, Madonna." He was polite, but not overly so, as if he had special training in it. If this was the 15th century... God, I wish I payed more attention in history class now... Auditore... come one, it's there somewhere...

"Please, call me Paola."

"Paola, then. Where are my mother and sister?" he asked just as we were walking out onto the stair case. Claudia rushed forward to embrace the man, while I hung back. They were family after all, and who was I to interrupt?

Ezio Auditore... nothing. I can't remember. Maybe I just heard some other name that sounded similar.

"Ezio!" The girl exclaimed, throwing her arms around her brother. I took in his appearance while they exchanged heartfelt greetings. I couldn't see his face because he was wearing a white hood that concealed his features. Then there was the strange armor of sorts that I never seen before, along with a short cape thrown over his left arm. It was... dashing, I suppose. Probably didn't offer too much protection. But hey, if you die, at least you'd look cool while doing it.

My eyes stopped on the belt buckle though, and I felt unease in my throat. It looked exactly the way the tattoo on my arm did. Then my sister is right, it was not the gang that branded me as it were. Then... who?

Voice shaking, he took a deep breath. "I am so sorry. I couldn't stop them. They killed father, Federico and Petruccio." Claudia gasped, holding her hand to her mouth, and I immediately saw tears run down her cheeks. I frowned. I was not sure what was going on as I still didn't ask for the full story, but... I didn't know how to react, really, being an outsider. I leaned onto the railing of the staircase, unsure what to do.

_Okay, think. When mom died, what did people tell you?_ Well, Jake said she's definitely in a better place now (we lived in a small apartment on the outskirts of the city that smelled like a gutter most of the time) though I also remember punching him for that. I quite liked my nose the shape it was, so I ruled that option out. And I think my sister tried to kill me, yelling it was all my fault. One of my mother's friends barely managed to pull her off me at the funeral.

Crap, what do I do? Attack him out of sympathy?

He suddenly looked at me with surprise, probably not sure where I even came from. I crossed my arms, staring back at him. Then he looked away without saying a word, while patting Claudia on the back.

"You are welcome to hide out here, of course," Paola cut in, but he raised a hand, turning to her.

"No, I can't stay."

"And where will you go, exactly?" the mistress of the brothel did not seem surprised at his answer one bit. There was a pause, and for a second it seemed that this Ezio didn't even know where to go next.

"To kill Uberto."

I smiled to myself. I was beginning to like the kid more and more. He gets straight to the point, doesn't he? And insane point, but I guess I can't really talk, can I? I absently ran a hand over my stomach, knowing there was an old scar there.

"I understand your need for vengeance, but remember, the man is very powerful!"

Damn, don't you just hate that voice of reason? I say go and kill this guy, you'll feel a lot better. But then I remembered what happened when I did that, and immediately crossed over to Paola's side. Whoever this Uberto was, if he was powerful, then it's best to actually stop and think logically.

"They know you got away, and they will be waiting for you. The entire city is aware of your presence! And besides, you are not a killer."

"Spare me the lecture!" he glared at the woman, and I glared at _him._

_Please listen to her, _I thought,_ I didn't, and I regretted it a thousand times over._

"But I can make you one."

He laughed, bitterly and sadly. It was a laugh I was all too familiar with myself. "And why would you teach me how to kill?"

"No," Paola went on, "I will teach you how to survive. Come with me."

"Oh, this should be good." I winked at Claudia's worried, tearful expression. She attempted a smile though she failed, understandably so. I swallowed hard, and fled the scene. If she started crying again, I would start panicking. Well, more like freaking out, actually. I _seriously _don't know how to deal with crying people.

Outside, I sat on of the benches, making myself comfortable. I remembered that my bag was still in Maria's room, as well as my leather jacket. But it wasn't cold, surprisingly enough. I crossed my legs, and watched as two groups of girls suddenly emerged, giggling. I smirked when I caught the whiff of their conversations; they thought that the young noble was adorable, to which I guess I could agree. From this angle, I saw that his face was actually as attractive as his voice, with only a little scar that looked recent marring the corner of his lips. I sighed to myself.

"Becoming one with the crowds in crucial to our work." Paola began speaking. "When you enter a group of people, you blend in, and the guards tend to ignore you." I rolled my eyes.

"With that outfit they won't," I muttered. The girls closest to me snickered, but I don't think he heard me though. Paola glanced in my direction, and again, her eyes flickered to my tattoo. I had half a mind to stick my tongue out at her, though I waited until she looked away, and the girl laughed again.

Ezio walked towards the girls, gently slipping in between them. Of course, he didn't disappear, but if it was a larger crowd...besides, with those girls beside him and most of their skin shown off, I don't think anyone would be looking at him, least of all guards. I started clapping. The women beside me caught on, and started giggling again. Doesn't take much to set them off, does it?

"Can you do better, Signora?" he asked me, slightly irritated. I half closed my eyes, reminding myself that he just lost half his family, so I couldn't hold this against him. Besides, I guess I _was _sort of provoking him.

"I don't need to. I'm a woman with short hair that wears clothes my boyfriends left me. Would you look at me twice in a crowd of these girls?" I raised an eyebrow, and the appreciative giggling grew. I think they were flattered. But in comparison to me, an old woman with as many wrinkles as a crumpled piece of paper would look attractive. My look wasn't exactly people pleasing and was more likely to send people _fleeing _rather than _welcoming_.

"Then why are you here?" he asked. I stood up to come stand by Paola, crossing my arms again.

"Oh, comic relief mostly." And also because I liked picking on attractive boys with money and a "nobility" status (they got really interesting expressions when they lost arguments). And because I wanted in on the killing since I had nothing better to do. Because he looked so depressed that I felt like he needed a distraction, even if it was an unpleasant one. Because with my logic, I was trying to help bu taking his mind off things. So, lot's of reasons, really.

"Getting back to the point." Paola continued. "Try to follow me through the streets without drawing the attention of any of the guards."

"And if I do?" he retorted, still irritated.

"If they see you, we'll consider it a lesson learned."

"A lesson on how fast he can run, it seems." I smirked. "Save the glaring, _Ezio_, you look too innocent for that to work."

"I'm shocked you know what innocence is," he muttered.

"You'd be surprised," I snorted. Giving him a cocky grin, I quickly fell into step with Paola. I heard her sigh, but I just shrugged when she looked at me. What could I say? It's better than playing an obedient whore.

Me and Paola moved through the streets without any interruptions. People bowed their head in respect to her, while I barely even got a glance in my direction. My pants and army boots that actually did belong to one of my boyfriends were lost to their eyes in the sea of people, not because I blended, but because you simply couldn't see me below the shoulders in the crowds.

"You shouldn't provoke him like this," Paola spoke out of the corner of her mouth to me, so lowly that I barely heard her over the chatter.

"I'm trying to help."

"By making him angry?"

"Better angry than sad, I always say."

"You are a strange person, Eden."

"Don't I know it." She looked at me with disapproval.

"You don't know much about comfort."

"I do too. I just think you get over things faster when you break things."

"Well, if any of my cases get broken, I'll know who to blame, then," she languidly replied, even as her eyes flashed with a glare of warning. Though I rolled my eyes. it still took me by surprise, and even made me back away from her a bit. My... hm, profession required knowing how to read people. So I quickly realized that despite _her _profession, she certainly wasn't one to be trifled with. But neither was I, so we called it a silent truce. "Why do you wish to... help them?" she continued, and my thoughts snapped back to the present, "You're a stranger, with no obligations to them."

I took a deep breath, thinking on the question. I was acting the way I did because...I didn't think they deserved this? Because I'm not heartless? Those were the reasons for any normal person.

I started speaking, coming to a conclusion. "When my mother died, I wish I had someone to try and cheer me up or even distract me somehow, instead of offering fake sympathies, or leaving me to mope around until the rage I built up at the entire world spilled out, causing me to make one of my many mistakes." She looked at me with surprise.

"You're telling this to someone you barely know, as well," she suspiciously replied, though her voice softened with understanding. I shrugged.

"You let me into your home. The least I can offer is honesty." Giving me a fleeting grin, she gestured for me to keep following her.

We continued to walk around the streets when I remembered something. "You recognized my tattoo. What does it mean?"

"What do you think it means?" She avoided the question, and I pursed my lips.

"I used to think it was some sort of product of my gang leader's sick imagination."

"And now?"

"Now I don't know anymore. I mean, he was pretty sick, but I doubt he'd come up with anything more creative than a fist or a gun or something."

"I meant the symbol."

"Oh. That I don't know either," I stated thoughtfully, "Is it some cult sign?"

"Not exactly," she replied. I shifted my eyebrows together.

"Wait, if it means something around this place, I should at least know why the people are suddenly gathering around with pitchforks and torches, don't you think?"

"Yes, but not now. Don't worry, no one undesirable is going to recognize it."

"What do you mean not now?"

"I mean I'm not the best person to explain."

No matter how many times I asked her, she did not reply, and I was getting frustrated. She knew what it meant, and she wouldn't tell me, though that was one of the weakest excuses I have ever heard. After thinking about it for a little, I came to a conclusion that she either didn't trust me, or she didn't know how to explain. Why? God knows. Maybe they're just suspicious people. Fine, I'll find out some other way, from someone who's actually willing to share.

A few times I glanced back to make sure Ezio was still there. I'll give him this, there were times when I lost sight of him, though he always showed up in within a few moments. When our glances met, I smirked, and he made an annoyed face in my direction.

When we finally moved back into the secluded garden behind the brothel, I made a mock bow to him, finally letting out my frustration. Okay, so maybe he was not the person to poke fun of at the moment, but I couldn't resist.

"All hail to the master of disguise. He managed to walk down a street without getting in a fight once. There's no shame in cheering now, girls, I was shocked too." The girls giggled again, fluttering their eyelashes at the man. He replied me with a bow of his own, which surprised me.

"Pleasantly, I hope. And thank you for the kind praise."

I grinned to myself. He was sarcastic, but he took the bait. "So you do know the rules. Good for you, dear, good for you. Tomorrow we shall start on the basic manners," my smile gave away the joke, sadly, but my pointed hint did not go unnoticed.

He lifted my hand gently, and grazed his lips against my knuckles, smiling up at me bitterly. "Forgive me, Signora, I do hope I did not appear rude." I was stunned. And strangely enough, I didn't have the immediate urge to rip half his face off as I expected. "My name is Ezio Auditore da Firenze." I rolled my eyes at his announcement, taking my hand away from him uncomfortably. I forgot about the "flowery language" part...

"Apology accepted." I paused, squinting at his amused expression. Good, at least he cheered up a bit. "Alright, my name is Eden Cleare."

"A beautiful name," he complimented, and I sighed again. Did I miss the memo that we were on to meaningless flattery now?

"My mother did love the irony." I said crossly, and a hint of doubt graced his face. That was when Paola cleared her throat, and our attention snapped back to her.

"Well, now, you learned how to blend in. Now I can teach you to use it for stealing." I looked at her with curiosity. So not only were they whores, but thieves as well? Hard times indeed...

I learned how to pickpocket, though it was a lot harder at home- you need to either get your hand into their bags, or into their pockets. And all without being seen. But around here, it was pathetically easy. Nearly each citizen had their purses just hanging off their belts. Snatch, and done. Ezio had no trouble with the simple task. He was gone for around five minutes, before reappearing, a couple of jingling purses in his hands. Paola seemed pleased.

"Alright, ladies, you won't be needed anymore. You can go inside," she said to "the girls." All of them pouted at the same time.

"Aww, do we have to?"

"He's so innocent!"

"It's cute!"

I started shuddering at their sorrowful replies. Sure, he wasn't beastly (I wasn't blind, after all). But they were laying it on pretty damn thick. My laughter barely contained, I forced myself to bit down on my lip really hard. The salty taste of blood, though, brought my humor down a peg, and I finally calmed down.

"Now, you need a weapon," Paola told Ezio, and I suddenly couldn't hold back a snort.

"Please don't tell me you don't even have a weapon." I held a hand to my face, shaking it, "You were going to go kill someone with your bare hands? Or were you going to strangle him with your cape? I like your nerve, but that's just suicidal. Even I'm not that crazy!"

"Other than your throwing knives, I see no weapons on you either, my dear. So maybe you should hold your tongue." He was slightly irritated, and with good reason, But I just flashed him a smile.

"Who says I have no other weapons just because you can't see them?" Both of them seemed confused as I came to a stop beside Paola. "No matter. Go back to your conversation. I'll just stand over there and look pretty." Every ounce of sarcasm was meant in the statement.

"Paola, that isn't one of your girls, is it?" he suddenly asked, "She's got too much of a sharp tongue. And she looks more like a boy than a woman."

"Eden is-"

"Eden is right here," I snapped my fingers. His crack about me looking like a boy didn't faze me one bit. Actually, I was pleased- he was distracted. Paola smiled slightly, probably noticing the change too. Or some other reason I was not aware of. I don't know, these people were strange.

"She helped us take care of your mother," Ezio's expression changed, and he looked almost grateful for a second. But I crossed my arms, eager to change the subject. All I told them was what I knew and it wasn't as though I saved anyone's life here. Maria's shock was much deeper and far more complicated than a simple internal bleeding and trauma. Unfortunately, there was nothing I could to to fix that.

"I have some weapons with me," I continued, "But honestly, I'd rather kill the man myself rather than land you something out of my collection."

"Then what is it you'd have me use?" Ezio asked Paola. She smiled again, somewhat rogue like.

"Ah, but you already know the answer," she told him, handing him a bundle of... pieces of metal.

"Well that was anti-climatic." I uttered, though not with as much humor as I wanted to- I saw that sign that was on my arm again.

"My father's blade and bracer! How did you get this?" he asked, taking the stuff out of her hands. Paola was still smirking.

"By using the same skills I just taught you, of course." I mentally applauded to her. Smart, resourceful woman. If we had even a dozen of those, women would be in the government a lot faster.

"It's not exactly in working condition." he was right about that. Whatever it was, it was in no shape to kill anyone. Unless you bash it against their heads repeatedly, but who had the time for that anymore?

"I assume you're familiar with Leonardo da Vinci?" My eyes widened.

"Yes. But what does the painter factor into this?" Ezio didn't seem to understand, and I stared at him as if he was insane. Leonardo da'Vinci, the genius, inventor, artist, one of the most known men in history. And yet this noble didn't know anything of him? Then again... what part of history was this, anyway?

"He's much more than that. Just take those pieces to him. You'll see." She turned to go but suddenly stopped. "And if Eden allows, take her with you. I think you two have things to talk about."

"Ha! As if!" I crossed my arms. If I didn't know any better, I'd say she was trying to get rid of me. "There's nothing to talk about," I snorted, "I don't like him."

"Then you can argue like children," she shrugged.

"Not like children." I bared my teeth again in a menacing smile. "Adults."

"Consider this the price of my hospitality, then. I do believe you wanted to help? This is your chance," she shrugged as she disappeared into the building. But I swear I heard her laughter. Reluctantly, I turned to Ezio. "Leonardo da Vinci, you say?"

"Yes, he's a friend." He lifted his hood back onto his head. Strange, I didn't even realize he took it off at some point. "Do you know of him?"

"Know of him?" I paused, unsure how to answer. "Yes, I know of him. Artist, inventor, scientist, and a genius. Well, then, I'm eager to meet him!"

"I thought you knew him?"

"No, no, I heard of him, just like everyone else has." I bit my tongue but it was too late. The words slipped out. "Never mind, let's go!" I pulled his arm towards the streets, "I trust you know this place?"

"Yes, of course."

"Good, because I don't. Oh, and don't worry too much about those pansies in tights," I gestured to one of the guards barely visible down the street. "I wanted to give them a piece of my mind anyway, so it you need a distraction, just ask," He eyed me with interest as I melted with the crowds, pulling him along, though then we switched places and he was leading me. My white shirt did not stand out too much, though his hood did. But seemed like Paola was a step ahead of us. Her girls were on every street, easily taking advantage of the fact that all guards were male and were far too busy drooling over them to actually notice us.

As we walked, I absently thought on the situation. I was in the 15th century. I didn't know how that was possible, really, but for the sake of my braincells, I assumed it was. I was in Italy, I suppose. Yet everyone still spoke English, with only occasional smatterings of Italian in between... bizarre. Then I stumbled on to a brothel asking for directions and found two women seeking refuge in there for some reason. I also learned that Claudia's and Ezio's father and brothers were just killed. It was a terrible situation, and a road I've been down before. But we had more important things to do than be consumed by fear and paralyzed by revenge. First, you had to actually go about doing the said revenge.

Somewhere along the way to Leonardo's, I saw Ezio stop out of the corner of my eye. He looked up at the walls thoughtfully, but I jerked his sleeve, knowing what he had in mind. The scene barely changed around us. But it was a lot more empty on this street. However, there were still plenty of witnesses that would not be amused if we suddenly started climbing walls.

"Don't even think about it." I hissed. As far as I remembered, there were very unfriendly guards taking walks on the roofs. And I doubt they're simply watching clouds.

"But Leonardo's place is just on the other side of these buildings," he argued, "You just can't climb walls, can you?" he raised an eyebrow, and I snorted.

"Probably better than you. But that's not what I meant. There are-"

"Care to prove it?" I narrowed my eyes, somewhat playfully.

"Don't push it, or I'll push you." I paused, and then added quietly, "Off the nearest roof."

And before he even realized what was going on, I ran at the building, and jumped, catching myself on the balcony. I barely paused to enjoy the stunned face of a woman as she leaned out to water her plants, and jumped to the ledge above her windows. The houses here were... climbable, to say the least, especially to someone who spent most of her time wall climbing.

On the top, I panted slightly and looked around only to find that Ezio arrived at almost the exact time that I did. I humphed.

"That was pretty good for a little boy."

"A little boy?" Great, he seemed to take that comment to heart. "I can't be younger than you."

"Age isn't what matters-" I suddenly stopped, glancing around. "Damn."

"Hey! This is a restricted ar-" The rest of that sentence was drowned as the guard that was unlucky enough to stumble on us choked on his own blood. I sighed, tearing my knife out of him. Reflex reaction, but a fortunate one- he was already pulling out his bow.

"I guess it's not any more. Oh dear, there are more," I sighed, "I told you this was a bad idea!" Ignoring the fact that I was the one to start climbing when I could have just gone around the building like normal, _sane_ people do, I caught sight of a few more of those Robin Hood worthy men in tights with bows on their backs. Hurriedly ducking out of their line of sight, I could hear Ezio chuckle with laughter behind me. Despite that he probably would have still run up the walls. What sucked though, was the fact that I had no clue where I was going without him around. Otherwise, I would've ditched him in a second.

He rolled his eyes, though he now led the way. "While this saves time and Leonardo's place is just over there," he waved in an uncertain direction, "Maybe _you _should attempt to avoid the guard?"

"Fine," I begrudgingly admitted, though not before a considerable amount of glaring, "While we're at it, what did Paola give you?"

He hesitated, eyes tracing over me in thought. Like the mistress, his gaze also lingered on the tattoo on my arm.

"Take a picture. It lasts longer," I ordered, feeling uncomfortable. He diverted his eye ahead, probably not actually understanding what I meant. But my tone was clear enough.

"She gave me my father's blade and bracer, though I don't know how she got it," he shrugged. Glancing around cautiously before jumping down lightly onto a balcony right below us, he gestured for me to do the same. I followed, then falling onto the ground. It hurt my legs a bit, but I managed to straighten out as he knocked on the door while onlookers gasped_. Oh geez, you soft skulled babies,_ I mused with annoyance, _Never seen a woman drop out of the sky?_

Hm, neither have I.

I followed Ezio inside the house, shutting the door after me.

"Leonardo!" the man called, drawing back his hood. The artist looked away from some plans he had laid out on the table in front of him. Looking around, his face beamed at the sight of man beside me.

"Ezio Auditore! I didn't expect to see you again, after everything that happened... but where are my manners, welcome!" He hugged Ezio, something that he didn't seem to be expecting.

I was hanging back, taking in the appearance of one of the most famous men in history. He seemed young, his hair a dark blond color, going down to his shoulders. Eyes a shocking blue, he seemed a bit ruffled, his hat nearly falling off. I blinked. If I needed any more proof that I was in the 15th century, this floored me completely.

"And who is this charming lady?" he asked, his voice excited. I smiled. Never in history did they say he was this... hyper? And possibly blind- calling me charming is a huge stretch.

"My name's Eden."

"Wonderful! I'm am Leonardo da Vinci. It's pleasure to meet you!"

"And you." I smiled wider, charmed by the electric blue eyes. Ezio didn't seem to understand the fascination in my face.

"Those are interesting clothes," Leonardo immediately noticed, "I don't think I've ever seen on any of the people here. And you're a lot more pale than the citizens around here. Are you from outside the city?"

The corner of my mouth pulled upwards. "Yes, You can say that. I'm not really all that sure what this city is, anyway." Damn boring history teacher that put me to sleep every time he opened his mouth. Where is it that Leonardo lived at this point? Italy, yes, but I couldn't remember any details.

"This is Florence. How did you not know that?" Ezio asked, raising an eyebrow, and I shrugged. The second time someone asked me that today, and I still don't know how to answer.

"I'm a visitor from the future, have no idea how I got here. It was sort of like... Poof, and I was on one of the roofs of this place," I said all that with a straight face, leaving him unsure if I was kidding or not. Eyes shifting between then, I sniffed, "What? Don't believe me? It's true." Leonardo looked mildly curious, while Ezio looked at me as is I've started doing the hula dance. I crossed my arms, knowing what they were thinking. "I'm not insane." I assured them. But I don't think they believed me. "My sister is insane; she will kill you for stealing her cookies. My friend Jake was insane, coming up with the most bizarre plans that actually work out in the end. You haven't seen insane."

My eyes suddenly shifted to the back of the workshop, where bodies were piles up in a corner, as well as different kinds of models and sketches. I think my eyes glittered. "Can I?"

"Of course, make yourself at home!" The artist smiled brightly, letting me pass towards the mess of things. I shifted through the papers and models, curious. I kept an ear out as I did, too, though they probably thought I couldn't hear them.

"She's not this polite with me," Ezio seemed confused.

"Really? She's strange, that's for sure. But intriguing. You probably haven't seen women like that around, no?" I didn't want to feel flattered, and yet...

"No, I haven't." The tone of his voice told me that he not only never saw people like me, but hoped he never would. I bit my lip.

"Well, anyway, what is it you came here for? Surely not to introduce me to your..."

"I'm not his girlfriend," I called over my shoulder, "Or his friend, for that matter. Someone has to keep him out of trouble though."

"Ah, yes, of course." They seemed a bit flustered, but carried on with their conversation.

"I need you to fix this." I heard the clang of metal, and thoughtful humming. I got my hands on the design plans and theories of a flying machine, skimming over the notes with interest before I moved on to the shelves that had dozens of small models and other objects that were projects that were never finished.

"- I can't fix this without the original plans, it's in too bad of shape. I'm sorry."

There was a pause. "Wait! This is encrypted! If my theory is correct, then... it may very well..."

"Very well what?"

"Just take a seat over there, this won't take long!" I snickered at the frenzied movements behind me. "If I just do this, than it will..."

"It will what? Leonardo?" I shut my eyes tightly, trying not to laugh too hard. There was a lot of dust around, and I didn't want to choke on it. Ezio was seated in a chair near me, though he didn't seem to understand what was going on anymore. I laughed lightly at his confusion as Leonardo busied himself at his table, spreading a scroll of some sorts beside him.

"Eden, keep him busy, please, I need to concentrate!" he waved a hand. Shaking my head and still smirking, I put my hand on Ezio's shoulder, keeping him in the chair. He looked at me, bewildered. It almost caused me to double over laughing again.

"What do you suggest I do, give him some paper and pencils? Or maybe you have some toys around?" I asked cheerfully, but Leonardo ignored me, and continued mumbling to himself.

* * *

Ezio was confused. From what he gathered, Leonardo would fix his father's blade, but... he seemed a little too enthusiastic to get to work.

_Father._

His hands clenched at the thought of Uberto's betrayal. His family trusted him, and he turned out to be nothing but trash. He sold his loyalty to the highest bidder, it seems. And to think, if he stayed at Uberto's house when he was offered it, he would be dead just like his father and brothers now were. And then who would help his mother and sister? They'd eventually come for them, too.

And then there was the man he saw in Uberto's house, and then at the execution. He seemed vaguely familiar, though he couldn't see his face properly under the hood. Was he on his father's list of names, as well?

Surprisingly enough, it was Eden's firm hand on his shoulder that calmed him down. He was sure the gesture was not intended that way, as the woman showed nothing but dislike of him. That certainly was not a reaction he got from women. Then again, she was a strange woman, if one at all. She was wearing a snow white shirt with short sleeves, showing off a tattoo that was identical to the symbol on his armor and the blade that Leonardo fluttered over right now. Her pants were somewhat baggy and unusual texture and coloring, like a huge mixture of black, brown and green. Almost like a strange camouflage but with many many pockets on the legs. Her shoes were very unlike the high heels of noble women. Boots that went up to half her calf and with laces all the way down them, he could see barely visible handles sticking out of them.

She herself was still looking around the workshop with intense curiosity and a fascination that seemed strange, somehow. The way she talked to the artist himself was as if he was well known and respected. Yet Ezio knew for a fact he was just a humble artist not many people were aware of around Florence. At least, not yet. She seemed to see something in those sketches of his that looked just a jumble of random notes and quick sketches. Sometimes she brought the pages closer to her face, trying to read the words.

As if feeling his gaze on her, she looked at him.

"Listen, I know I'm beautiful and all that, but you don't have to keep staring at me. You might make me blush."

A strange thing about her. Where his mother was blunt and always truthful, Eden was blunt, truthful, sharp, sarcastic, somewhat mean, surprisingly cheerful and possibly insane all at the same time. To say he never met a girl like that is to say nothing. She did not hold back her opinion in the slightest when talking to him, it seemed, or bothered with courtesies. And she didn't like him for some reason he couldn't understand- what is it he did that offended her so much? Or did she just not like him?

And then there was that tattoo, the scars that were visible all over her exposed skin, marring her tan slightly. They weren't just random scrapes- they looked almost like battle scars. That, plus the fact that she had knives hidden all over her body... she was dangerous. It shined in her confident movements and her sharp hazel eyes that were so unlike the doe eyes he seen on Cristina, they were narrowed fiercely most of the time, a foreign, strange shape to them that was definitely not native in Italy.

With her warm hand on his shoulder that actually felt a little painful now, and the sound of Leonardo working and the rustle of pages, it suddenly hit him just how tired he was...


	3. Chapter 2

"It's finished!"

"Wha-" The voice came through haze. Who? What? When? "What's finished?"

"The blade! Once I translated the codex, it told me exactly what to do!" Leonardo seemed very pleased with his work.

Oh. Right. Leonardo. Blade. People need killing.

"...Ri-i-i-ght. Okay." The fog cleared for Ezio and he immediately felt a change. He looked down to his arm and saw his father's wrist blade gleaming on top of the white of his sleeves. Ezio extended her blade, examining it. Then he looked around.

"Where's Eden?" She was nowhere in sight.

"Right here!" She suddenly called cheerfully, coming out of the back room, carrying a rather large butcher knife. "Here's that knife you wanted, Leo." There was something in her malicious grin that he didn't like. That woman managed to her the hairs on the back of his neck stand up when she bared her teeth like that...

"Right, now all that's left is to cut off your ring finger." Leonardo said quickly, taking the knife from her. "I'm sorry, Ezio, it's the only way. The blade is design to ensure commitment of the wearer."

He looked from Leonardo to Eden. She was still smirking menacingly, while he had an apologetic look to him. Ezio sighed, resisting the urge to cradle his hand to his chest, away from harm. Eden picked up on his hesitation.

"If you want, I'll do it. Though it would be ten times as painful." The look in her eyes proved that to be true, and he laid out his hand onto the table.

"Fine, Leonardo, do it quickly." He shut his eyes, tensing in preparation. A short intake of breath and he heard the whistling of the blade through the air. But the pain never came. He opened his eyes to see all his fingers still intact, the blade inches away from his hand, and Eden slowly sliding down the wall in laughter.

"I was only joking with you." Leonardo said cheerfully. "If the blade required a sacrifice, it has been altered since then. You can keep your fingers."

There was a pause. Then Eden asked mockingly, "Well? I don't hear you rushing to thank me for _not_ cutting off your finger. For all you know, the blade could still require such a sacrifice."

"I'll thank you when I sink it into Uberto's neck." he growled as she looked at him with a spark of respect. Leonardo looked from one to the other, unsure what was happening and where his part was. He was saved by the bell, or, a knock, that echoed along the brick walls. "Open up, by the order of the Florentine guard!"

One moment, please," He went to the door while Eden moved closer to Ezio so she was out of line of sight. She put a finger to her lips, as if he needed a reminder, and he was about to snap at her when he heard another voice from the door.

"Leonardo da'Vinci?"

"Yes. Is there something I can help you with?"

"I need to talk to you."

"Of course, right away." he gestured to us to stay put behind his back and shut the door after him. Eden suddenly moved upstairs to a window that opened up to the small courtyard beside the building and waved her hand, telling Ezio to follow. He stood up, confused.

"I don't trust them," she whispered. "It's a guard. If they know you're here, they might arrest Leo. Plus, you have a chance to test out that weapon of yours." She looked at his arm with some envy, and then leaned out the window to get a better look.

"-consorting? Preposterous!" Horrible acting on the artist's part, but the thought was appreciated.

"When was the last time you spoke with Ezio Auditore?"

"Who?"

"Maybe this will refresh your memory?" Ezio's anger flashed as the guard punched his friend in the stomach, making him fall, continuing on kicking him in the ribs. Eden gave him a strong nudge towards the window.

"Do it!" she ordered urgently, "But be quiet about it! And aim for that spot between his shoulders, as close to the heart as you can get." Nodding in understanding, Ezio lightly dropped first to a balcony under the window, then to the ground, soundlessly moving behind the guard.

The kill was a lot easier to do than he expected. Almost as if he knew the skills for it already, following it on instinct. He silenced the guard with his hand at the same time as sinking the blade into his heart from behind. The man jerked, but then went limp.

There was applause from above.

"Wonderful job, I barely heard a thing. There's hope for you yet, kid." Eden said cheerfully, unfazed by the display. "Now we just need to get you to take a bath and you're all set!"

He rolled his eyes, helping Leonardo get up.

"Thank you, friend, that was more than timely."

"What should I do with the body?" he asked, looking at the man at his feet. The artist waved him hand.

"Just bring him in and put him with the others."

"Others?" Ezio lifted the body, throwing it over his shoulder.

"The city gives them to me, for research."

"Oh."

* * *

"Lovely." I poked the dead man's cheek. "Look at that, you managed to kill him without alerting the entire city. Well done."

"Do you _ever _say anything nice?" Ezio snapped at me, lying the man down on the floor beside the other bodies.

"I was actually kidding." I replied, surprised that he took is so hard, "I don't think anyone would have tried to look into it even if the guard screamed his head off like a pig. I'm actually impressed- I was under the impression that you were new to all this."

He just dismissed my comment, causing me to narrow my eyes. Well, so much for attempting some niceties. "I think we should be getting back to Paola," he declared.

"Right on!" I made a superman worthy move, though both of them stared at me with a mixture of confusion and amusement. I quickly lowered my arm. "Or, you know, your call."

"Thanks for all your help, friend." Ezio turned to Leo. Yes, I'm calling him Leo, something that surprised him the first time I tried, but it just sort of spilled out. I used to know a Leo, actually, and I guess Leonardo reminded me of him a little. The same eyes, I think.

"It's not problem. And if you come across any more of those codex pages, bring them to me!" Then the artist turned to me, and I pulled the corner of my lips up in an imitation of a smile. "And Eden, if you ever want to drop in, my doors are always open to either of you. You seem to have a knack for these things," he waved his hand to the mass of gadgets on the table.

"Well, I wouldn't say that, I just know how things tick." I shrugged, avoiding the compliment. "You know, maybe I'll come hang out here afterward. I'm sure we have things to tell each other."

He smiled at me cheerfully. "It would be an honor!" He raised my hand to his lips in courtesy. Though it made me uncomfortable, I didn't pull my hand away. Ezio coughed, and I looked at him, startled. He was standing by the doorway, waiting.

"Right!" I sent Leo another crooked smile and left the building with confidence, a giddy feeling in my chest.

"You two seem to get along," Ezio noted as we moved past the buildings, this time not climbing them. I raised an eyebrow.

"Amazing observation, but you don't need to sound so shocked. I can be quite likable when I'm nice," I smiled easily, not affronted one bit.

"You're not nice to me." He was almost pouting.

"That's because I don't like you." I shrugged. This was strangely fun. He probably hated me by now, but it didn't matter. It didn't sound like he'll be sticking around for much longer anyway.

"And what did I do to offend you so?" he wondered. I shrugged.

"There's just something about your face... Or how I can feel my brain cells dying when I talk to you." I crossed my arms, slipping past a rather large group of guards and blocked from view by a passing group of people, and Ezio walked unnoticed as well.

"Brain cells?"

"Yes, you know, the stuff that makes up the brain? Wait, you don't have one, so I guess that information is lost to you." I easily turned a simple question into an insult. He made it too easy.

"Good. Don't think I want to remember this, anyway."

I snorted, knowing that he referred to his father dying and general mayhem that happened in his life. He raised an eyebrow. "Something funny?"

"Why, yes. You're so naive I want to bash my head against he nearest wall." I replied, sighing, and looking at the "nearest wall" with some interest.

"That's not a bad idea." he replied sharply, and I mentally applauded him. "And what do you mean?"

"You really think that killing this Uberto guy is going to solve all your problems?" I asked as I swiped an apple from on of the stands as we crossed the market district. "He's probably not alone, otherwise he wouldn't be able to pull this off so easily."

"I don't care." he glared at me, "Once he's dead, I'm taking Claudia and Mother out of the city."

"So you're running." I concluded. I don't know where I was going with it, it's not like I had a better idea of what to do. I wasn't even a part of this whole affair. I sighed. I'm an idiot. Taking his family out of the city is the smartest thing to do now, yet I plowed on. What did I hope for? To convince him to stay? But the words were already out of my mouth before I could even stop them. Lovely. In just one swoop, I accused him of being stupid, naive and cowardly when he was actually handling things better than some people would in this situation.

My mother was rolling in her grave right now.

"Now, liste-"

"Shut up!" I suddenly hissed, perking my ears.

"I've seen that face before..."

"Wait a second, isn't that-"

Without waiting to see if they were talking about us or the Pope, I pulled Ezio's head down so it wouldn't stand out in the crowd so much, pushing him towards the center of the market, heading to the other end. As we walked, I latched myself onto his left arm, concealing the cape with my body, and ripped down his hood, then wrapping an arm around his middle, covering the belt.

He stared at me, bewildered, and I dug my fingers into his side painfully, whispering, "Keep moving! The guards recognized you! If they find us, I swear the god, you're on your own!"

"Now who's the coward?" he blithely declared. Dammit, he was right. God, I hated myself sometimes. However, he nodded curtly, playing along as we moved in this awkward position to the end of the plaza. I don't know how those lovebirds do it, really, but this was just uncomfortable. Including the fact that I was playing one of those clingy girlfriends that I hated the most in this world.

Damn him and his stupid costume. They never make it easy, do they?

When we finally got to the alley way leading to the brothel, I pushed him away from me and brushed off the imaginary cooties.

"I'm not contagious, you know." He seemed hurt, and I sighed.

"I disagree. How many?"

"How many what?"

"How many girls have you slept with in the past week?"

"Wha-" he suddenly shut up, and I nodded in satisfaction.

"Exactly. But I guess considering I'm not going down the same road, I guess I'm out of danger." I left him to chew it over, heading to the big flashy building of the brothel.

"You know, if I didn't know any better, I'd say you were jealous." he suddenly caught up with me smirking. I raised an eyebrow, unfazed.

"Oh yes, I'm just dying to get in your bed. Because the one thing I need to make my life complete is an idiot who probably doesn't even know what to do with a woman."

"Your words, they sting." he put a hand on his heart. For the first time he replied with humor, too.

"I can end it quickly, if you wish." I offered, "Then you won't have to deal with the horrible heartbreak that is rejection."

"As if I'd want a woman as flat as a board and with the curves of a straight line."

"And as if I'd want a man with a dick the size of a needle."

At that point, he looked ready to kill, but thankfully, we finally arrived at the doorsteps of the brothel. I glared up at one of the archers on the roofs, and then suddenly realized what action would hopefully speak louder than words, "Now, if you're done trying to trade barbs with me and failing, listen up. I can help you get to this Uberto guy." I really would have to cut my tongue out one of these days. I've got to shut up.

"Wait a moment, so you insult and mock me this entire time, and now you want to _help _me?" He still seemed angry, but my smile did not waver, as he seemed to actually consider my offer. Immediately, I regretted riling him so badly. "Why do you care?" he continued, "You're just a rather irritating, but otherwise innocent bystander that's not obligated in any way to do anything. Truly," he sniffed, "It's none of your business. Right?"

I let out a breath, refusing to admit out loud that he was right and I was lying to myself. I was going to help either way. If not for his safety, then at least for his sister and mother. "I don't know who he is," I slowly began, "But I do know that if a man can simply kill three innocent people without remorse and attempt the murder of another, he deserves to die," I sighed and knocked on the door of the brothel. "I can clear the way in and out if you just let me collect my bag."

After a moment, he took a reluctant sigh, surprising me with the answer.

"Fine."

"Good boy," I patted him on the head and he swatted my hand away. "Don't worry, I'm sure this Uberto will satisfy your blood lust."

Before he had time to reply, I pushed the door open, noting along the way that I barely felt the change in the odor, I was so distracted by Ezio. Well, I guess this place can be almost bearable providing you have the right distractions, then. And I'm sure the women had plenty of those around here. I went upstairs, as they greeted me cheerfully. I entered Maria's room, and immediately, I was hugged again by Claudia.

"God, you're alright! Is Ezio-"

"He's fine." I looked over my shoulder towards the doorway absently. "His ego suffered a blow, but he'll get over it. Hopefully."

"And the weapon Paola sent him to fix?" there was a gleam in her eye that was similar to her brother's. I grinned wider.

"Fixed and ready to take lives."

"Good." She looked around to her mother, who was still in a praying position. "She still won't move. She spends hours in front of those feathers."

"Why?" I shifter my eyebrows together, "What are those feathers?"

She sniffed, but held back the sob. "My little brother used to collect them."

"Oh." I was a little confused. At the back of my head, I wondered how old her brother was. They wouldn't kill a child, right? I mean, even I know that's just inhuman, immoral, and all the other words to describe such a horrible act. "And I assume he's-"

"Yes." She nearly started crying again, I could see the line being crossed.

"Stop that." I scolded, desperately trying to keep that floodgate closed. At least until I'm gone. "Crying won't do anything, and it'll just upset your mother and your little sister."

She looked at me bewildered, forgetting about tears for a moment. "I don't have a sist-"

"I assume she means me."

"Ezio!" She rushed to hug her brother as he appeared in the doorway. He glared at me over her head.

"We were just having a pleasant conversation about your gender." I grinned at him innocently, but his expression didn't change. I sighed, "No sense of humor, I swear!" Grabbed my bag that sat in the corner of the room and taking my jacket out and putting it on, I felt for the familiar handles on my pockets. "I'm all set! Let's go, my little assassin. I have guards to shoot and you have a certain asshole to kill!" I held up an imaginary sword. He stared at me for a moment, but then I saw a twitch in his lips as if he was about to smile. Good, we couldn't have a man that's about to burst into tears at any moment. Or unscrew my head. Unnerving, I hear.

As we left, he paused by his mother, running his ungloved hand gently through her hair as he whispered goodbye to her. I bit my lip at the sentimental display, pulling his sleeve. "Come on, there will be time for this later," I quietly said. He nodded, setting his face into a cold mask. I nodded approvingly. At least now, he had somewhere else to direct his rage.

Hopefully, he would be the better for it.

* * *

"Hey girls!" I greeted the group cheerfully as they all smiled at me. I think I saw them around the blending lesson. "Care to show off a little?"

"Of course!" They chirped, and I grinned.

"Good to hear it." Nonetheless, I handed one of them a purse I got off that one guard on the roofs. "See those nasty walking tin cans guarding the entrance there?" I jerked my head in the right direction, "However surprising, there are men under all that armor. What we need, is a distraction." They all grinned, nodding. "Then work your magic, girls!"

I looked up where Ezio waited on a nearby roof. I barely saw a hint of his white hood, and I nodded to him. Lightly, he jumped down, grabbing onto one of the balconies on his way and then landed as quietly as a cat. "Plan clear? Go in. You have five minutes, if you're longer than that, the guards will return to their posts." We discussed it minutes earlier, so I was pretty sure he remembered it. Nervously checking my equipment one last time, I nodded at him.

"And if it takes longer than that?" he raised an eyebrow, somehow managing to blend in with the shadows as I escorted him around the guard now whistling at the four girls. Disgusting. I guess men don't change no matter what century it is.

"Then we'll have to improvise," I replied, "I'll be on that roof. If anyone gives you trouble... Let's just say they won't be breathing for too long."

"I can fight my way out," he snapped.

"With what? That knife of yours?" I raised an eyebrow. Don't get me wrong, I loved the blade. It was very original and I'd never seen anything like it. But if people started shooting, there was nothing he could do. He might run and climb fast, but you needed to get close to someone to stab them. "It's only effective if the enemy doesn't see you coming," I reminded him, "But do as you wish. Either way, I'll meet you up there. Now go, we're wasting time!"

He nodded curtly, though he gave me a glare that could curdle fresh milk. Great, it was only a matter of time before he'd snap and tell me to shove off. And I'd have no one to blame but myself. I needed to be more careful.

But there was no time to think on that. Especially as he walked fast by the wall and slipped right into the entrance behind the guards' backs. Taking a deep breath and adjusting the strap on my shoulder, I made a run to the roofs.

* * *

Killing Uberto was easier than Ezio could have imagined. Everyone always said that killing someone you know is harder than it seems, that taking someone's life was not all that simple. That regret was human. He never killed before this point, outside of the nameless guard that was attacking his friend.

Knowing that his father's last threat was fulfilled and that Uberto paid dearly for his betrayal made it easy. Satisfying, even. Ezio found himself not minding the blood, or the sound his blade made when he sunk in into the traitor's throat. Uberto's last words did not bother him in the slightest, his pathetic excused barely even registering in his mind. He suddenly felt the need to send the message, so he turned to the scare crowd and yelled that Ezio Auditore was still alive and ready to take revenge on his family's murderer's. The fearful gasps of the crowd were satisfying in their own way, too.

He thought that Eden was simply hardened by her life. But now he was beginning to realize that whatever it was, just how she made it seem so easy, even enjoyable. Now he understood she was no more heartless that him when it came to killing. Not to mention her agreement to help him went a long ways to ignoring her constant stream of pithy retorts, at least for now.

Dumping the body on the ground, he made for the way he came, only to realize that that wasn't going to fly- three Brutes were advancing, screaming in rage, the sounds echoing in their helmets. It only took his a second to figure out that the only way out now was up. He turned on his heel and ran, leaping up to the convenient lamp ledges around the perimeter of the building.

Climbing up was easy enough and gave him time. Those knights in shining armor would have a lot harder time getting up, but shouldn't there be...

His eyes fell on the corpse that was about to fall off onto the street.

...archers?

Without time to figure out how that happened, he made run towards the nearest roof. Landing painfully, but bearable, he picked himself up and tried orienteering. Eden said she'd wait on the building over there, but...

There was a faint popping sound. Something flashed and he spun around to see another guard that seemed to be aiming his bow at him fall down. _What the hell?_

Running out of time, he turned and ran to the next roof and then the next, climbing up. Somewhere behind him he heard the screaming of women and shouted orders of guards. General chaos erupted in the district, but luckily, he reached their meeting spot before the slightly more agile guards figured out where he was.

Eden was sitting beside a shelter, two bodies lying not three feet away from her, both with stab wounds. She had a case laid out open beside her, and she was packing some sort of fragments away. Shutting it with a click, she stuffing it into her bag.

"Finally!" she got up, swinging the bag onto her shoulder, "Let's go!"

For a second he was offended at her attitude, but then decided this was not the time to get into an argument. Especially considering the sounds of chaos were getting closer. They ran together on the roofs, he was surprised to see her keeping pace, though her bag looked heavy. However, when they stopped to take a breath, he offered to carry it for her.

"Ever the gentleman," she replied through clenched teeth, though he could hear her uneven breathing even when his cleared up, "But no thanks,"

"I'm not going to steal it you know!"

She stubbornly shook her head, thoough. "I'm used to it," she explained, voice slightly less annoyed as they began running again. He shook his head, cursing her pride, and ran after her. Dammit, that woman was going to be the death of him, he was suddenly sure of it. Not the less-than-friendly guards chasing after them, not Uberto's allies, but this utterly strange woman!

He only found out later that the reason she always kept that bag close was because it held the only belongings she had. At the time, however, he just cursed her for being so stubborn, and kept running.

"Ha!" She laughed cheerfully as they finally stopped by the doors of the brothel, nearly missing it, "This is definitely more fun than back at home!" She pushed open the door, nearly collapsing on the nearest bench.

"And why is that?" he leaned onto his knees, trying to catch his breath. She looked at him, her amber eyes shining with adrenaline. He already learned that her moods changed rather quickly. If one moment ago she was yelling at him to run faster, now she was acting like a child in a game of tag.

"The walls are more claimable," she held up one finger. Despite the heavy breathing, her hand didn't shake. Is that how she got rid of the guards? Where did she put the bow, though? Or did she use a crossbow? "The guards are more stupid and they can't shoot back at me. And I'm doing this willingly!" Three more fingers joined the first, and her hand dropped to her leg.

"Do you take anything seriously?" he finally snapped, "What is this, some sort of game? We just ran away from a murder scene with half the guards in Firenze looking for us, and you're acting as if it was child play?"

"Why not? So I turn into one of those grumpy people that put a damper of everyone's day?" she asked, her smile still in place, though her eyes widened in response to his flurry of rage-laden words.

"Do you _ever _stop smiling, you devil woman?" he demanded, and she shrugged.

"Life's a lot easier when you don't take anything seriously."

"We're lucky they didn't have archers, because the holes might have made you reconsider that philosophy," he pointed accusingly at her. She bared her teeth in that unique way of hers that made an unpleasant shiver run down his spine.

"And why do you think is that?"

"You-"

"Ah, you two are back!" Paola came into the room, Claudia and Maria tailing her. The sight of his mother's emotionless, empty face made his heart clench, Eden's smile dropping, as well, as she looked away, crossing her arms as if her chest tightened like his did. Their argument was quickly forgotten at the sight.

_Those bastards..._

"And Uberto is dead." Ezio confirmed.

"So we heard." Paola nodded her head. "You did well."

"Now, we have to leave." he concluded.

"Where will you go?" Paola asked, raising an elegant eyebrow. Ezio thought about it for a moment.

"Uncle Mario's villa, I suppose. We can stop there and then move farther, beyond the reach of Uberto's co-conspirators," he said thoughtfully. Paola didn't seem pleased with the answer, but nodded in agreement.

"A wise move. But you're still a wanted criminal. Once this chaos dies down, then you can leave safely." She paused, chewing on her lip. "You can tear down the posters, they hang around nearly every corner, and people will forget your face. You can bribe the heralds to silence them, or... permanently silence the corrupted officials that lead the search for you. That should be enough."

* * *

Claudia, meanwhile, looked at me. "Are you going to come with us, Eden?"

I shifted my eyebrows together. "I don't think I'm welcome, considering that your sister still hasn't stopped glaring at me." She laughed lightly at my comment, the first time I heard any humor in her voice, which made me smile. After all that happened, laughter is the best medicine. Or was it breaking things? Or both? I couldn't remember.

"I thank you most kindly for helping my family," she replied, "whatever is left of it. You didn't have to, and yet, you did."

"I don't know who you think I am, really," I said, uncertain of what to say. I didn't expect to be praised. "But I simply can't stand to watch a woman in shock like this. My mother would have never forgave me, and my sister would lose what little respect she still has left for me. And as for your sister..." I looked at him in thought as he talked to Paola, though I noticed his eyes flickering to me, "He doesn't like me."

Claudia let out another controlled chuckle, like a true noble born woman. "You're the first woman he doesn't get along with, it seems."

"I don't think he even considers me as a woman." I shrugged noncommittally.

"It is a shame. I think his ego needs a little deflating." she sighed, and I smiled at her.

"I did what I could."

"You should come with us!" she suddenly pleaded, "We're in your debt for everything you've done!"

"I haven't done that much, Claudia, and I don't think I'll be of much use further." I quickly retorted. "And don't be so ready to announce debts to people, no matter how trustworthy they seem. Some day they might collect, and the price may be too high." She bowed her head, understanding. "But, I think I trespassed on Madam Paola's hospitality a little too long. Besides, the smell is starting to get to me."

"And where would you go?"

I thought about it, not for the first time. I could go to Leonardo's, of course. I'm sure he'd like an assistant who actually knows something about mechanics. He was interesting to talk to, too. But... I couldn't just let the three leave like this. Not when there were still people after them. Maybe once they left for Spain, I could come back here. I just didn't know. I needed more time to think. So for now, the best way was on the road. I didn't have anywhere to rush to, might as well see some sights along the way.

"Oh, in any direction, really, but I guess for now I'll settle with escorting you out of the city," I finally replied.

She giggled lightly. "Then you'll come?"

I worried my lip before replying. "Not like I have anything better to do. Besides, your little sister seems to be attracting trouble. If nothing else, it's nice to have a back up plan."

She grinned, and went to hug me, and I didn't stop her. Maybe I was just still giddy from the adrenaline, or I didn't want to hurt her feelings. Despite that, it was a strangely welcoming feeling. Something I could get used to, dare I say.

"Well, my little assassin!" I exclaimed cheerfully. Ezio tensed, turning to me. "I have excellent news. After much careful consideration and a lot of weeping on Claudia's account, I decided to come with you."

He groaned and I grinned, taking it as a yes. Not like he could do anything to stop me, anyway.

Apparently, we were now in this together.


	4. Chapter 3

"Damn, how are we getting out?" Ezio cursed under his breath, staring at the huge crowd of guards standing over the gate leading to the outside world.

"Is there another gate?" I asked quietly.

We were leaning casually on the building not far down the street from the mentioned gate. Maria and Claudia were getting some food from the nearby stall while we tried to figure out how to do this.

Ezio shook his head. "There are other gates, but they're on the other side of the city. And..."

"...they're probably guards there too," I finished grimly. "Fine, we'll have to improvise."

I looked up, but immediately crossed out climbing over the walls. There was no way we'd get Maria and Claudia over there, even if Ezio and me could probably climb it with some effort. Killing the guards was also out of question. It would raise the panic that barely died down. And besides, there were too many of them.

"We can hire Paola's girls again," he suddenly said, motioning to the group standing on the other side of the plaza. I thought about it, chewing on my lip.

"I think that's our best shot. If I looked like a normal citizen, I'd probably be able to lure them away. But obviously, I don't look anything like the innocent women here." I gestured up and down my body. His eyes automatically flickered along with my hand, before turning away.

Soon, the girls made short work of the guard.

"Pathetic," I repeated after my thoughts as we made our way with Maria and Claudia through the gates behind their backs, "You'd think they'd have more brains then that."

"They're male," Claudia shrugged, as if it explained everything. I sighed, because it did.

"And I guess this is proof that the more things change, the more they stay the same."

"What do you mean?"

"Back at home, the men not only chased after girls, but quite often forced themselves on them. In a violent way." I licked my lips, shuddering. "Show them a pretty leg and they will forget about the mass murderer that's standing right behind them.

"I'm not a mass murderer," Ezio snapped at me. I smirked.

"Of course not. You're and _assassin_. Same difference." He rolled his eyes at me, but remained silent.

They were riding on their own horses that were housed in the stables. I wanted to steal one, but Ezio stopped me with the stupid voice of reason, saying that they were going to draw even more unwanted attention to us, giving them motivation to follow. I grudgingly agreed, climbing onto Claudia's horse behind her.

To tell the truth, I was relieved. I couldn't ride. And I did not like the way I could feel the horse's every breath and every twitch. Claudia probably weighted nothing, so it just took me as another riding bag, not showing much strain.

As we rode, though, I was left speechless for the first time in my life.

Everything was green, as far as the eye could see. A bright, cheerful green, too, something that along with the clear blue of the sky lifted my mood considerably. Little butterflies fluttered around the fields, and far away, I could see farmers working, tending to their crops and trees. The path we were taking was outlined with mossy rocks and pine trees, giving it a somewhat idyllic look. I definitely haven't seen this part of the world...

"How could this happen to us?" Claudia asked Ezio. I could tell she was holding that question in for some time now. He hesitated in answering, not looking at us.

"I don't know."

"Will be ever be back?"

"I don't _know_."

"What will happen to the house?" she was persistent, I'll give her that.

"I don't know!" he finally snapped.

"Did- did they get a proper burial?" she asked again after a pause, barely containing tears again. His irritation evaporated immediately.

"Yes," he softly replied. I had to give it to him that he knew how to comfort his sister. They appeared pretty close, which was surprisingly…fond.

We rode in silence for hours like that. I was actually beginning to doze off to the rhythmic sound of the hoofs. "Eden, tell me about your home." Claudia suddenly asked. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"It's really quite boring. Nothing as beautiful as this." I looked round again. The scene changed slightly and we were riding through a small wood.

"You speak Italian nearly flawlessly, but you say you're not from Italy," she turned her head slightly, to raise an eyebrow. Italian? Was I speaking Italian? When did I learn that?

"I'm from the city of New York, It's far from here." Very far. Centuries apart. Ezio simply walked in front of us, taking the role of leader. He wasn't listening. "It's a city that's always alive. People are always moving, the lights are always on. It has really tall buildings, some going taller than fifty floors."

"It sounds wonderful," she sighed. And I chuckled.

"I guess it depends on your point of view."

"And what was yours?"

~_Pain, lot's of pain. I knew I had to endure, I knew I had to do it for my family, but it was getting harder to breathe, blood was filling up my mouth, and I spit it out. My eyes have long since veiled in the darkness._

_And the hits kept coming, and I suddenly realized that this darkness was nothing compared to what awaited me. Hell. Misery. Fear. Death. I would be a bird with broken wings, unable to escape. And all for my mother, who died within months anyway, all for my sister, who will hate me for what I've done._

_And I caught myself thinking that it was all worth it. A sacrifice of my meaningless life, my freedom, just to buy mom those few months to live, and just to make sure that Eve was alive and well, not matter what._

_"Enough." the voice was powerful, strong, and somehow, my thoughts went to angels. But no, angels did not have raw voices like that. The pain didn't stop, but the hitting did. "Eden Cleare is one of us now."_

_A final, imprisoning sentence._

_I only realized later that it was all worth it. At that moment, I wanted nothing more than to die.~_

"Eden? Eden?" I blinked, staring at the worried face of Claudia. I shook slightly.

_"This isn't New York. I'm safe."_ I tried to calm myself, and smiled, somewhat weakly, realizing that my hand was pressed to my chest, just above my heart. I hurried to drop it.

"Let's just say I got the short end of the stick in that city." Short stick, short knife in the stomach, doesn't matter. She looked at me with curiosity, but didn't ask, instead catching up with Ezio.

"How long until this Uncle of yours?" I asked, and he still didn't look at me. I think the boy was barely holding back his own tears, though I'll give him some credit, he was holding up quite well.

"Not very. We're entering Monteriggoni country now, so I think it should be-"

"Good, day, Ezio," a sneering, mocking voice suddenly interrupted him, "How rude of you to leave Firenze without saying a proper goodbye."

I slapped my forehead hearing the less than friendly voice that left no room to imagination. Apparently that the man was talking to us, and not some other unfortunate traveler by the name Ezio. "Just how many enemies do you have?" I hissed as slid down behind the horse at about the same time as him. He shrugged, letting out a long breath. I mentally prepared myself for another confrontation. This was starting to get exhausting…and a little out of control.

The man who looked far from just simply giving us directions was a greasy, unpleasant sort in black clothing with a slightly hooked nose. While he did not look like much of a threat, the dozen armed men beside him certainly did.

"What do you want, Vieri?" Ezio asked loudly. Giving me a pointed look, I nodded, whispering to Claudia very quietly.

"If they attack, keep away from them. If they come near you, ride for that wood over there. We'll get you once we're done." She nodded, a really frightened look on her face. "Don't worry, I won't let your little sister get hurt," I blithely replied, even as I frowned. There really were _a lot _of men surrounding that Vieri bastard. It would be two against, what, twelve? Lovely. Claudia attempted a weak smile, but failed. And I didn't really blame her- she was a smart girl who could count. She saw the same odds I did, no doubt. Which is to say, none in our favor.

"A lot of things." The man, Vieri, continued his speech, walking towards us. "A bigger palace... Two new steeds... A prettier bride... And, oh yes." As he drew his sword, my hand crawled towards my thigh where I hid my throwing knives. My gun was unloaded, and these men were not going to give me the time to get them ready. "Your life. And look at that!" his eyes traced over our group, and stopped on me, "I think you can provide at least half of those demands."

I immediately felt like vomiting.

"I don't know who the hell you are, but try to lay a hand on me, and that hand will join your head. On the ground, severed from the body." My usual smile turned a little more menacing. He laughed, not believing me.

"Quite a feisty girlfriend you got yourself, Ezio. But she needs to learn her place. Attack!" he called to the guard.

At that moment, two of them collapsed onto the ground, blood bubbling in their throats. I readied the other knives I had and smirked. "I think it's you who should learn your place." I felt Ezio's hand on my shoulder, but shook it off. "Six feet under ground!"

"I'm getting tired of these games! _Attack!"_ he finally yelled, and I could see beads of nervous sweat on his face, "And don't spare the women!"

Like I expected them to. I held my daggers in reverse grip and heard Ezio's blade extend, while the horses edged away from the scene slightly.

But before either side could do anything, there was a battle cry and four of the men collapsed, arrows in their chests and throats.

"What?" Vieri seemed just as amazed as I was, looking around with confusion, "What sorcery is this?"

_Arrows?_ I thought, looking at the sharp ends sticking out of their rib cages.

There was loud laughter. "Not sorcery! Skill, boy!"

"Show yourself!" the greasy guy seemed to forget all about us, circling around, looking for the invisible attacker.

"As you wish!" Another arrow knocked the sword out of Vieri's hand, and he cradled in to his chest, now looking terrified. Five men suddenly jumped out of the bushes, and Claudia shrieked. One of them, with a nasty scar running down through his eye and some sort of symbol on his clothes came to stop beside us, throwing Ezio a sword and taking out his own. "Here, use this!"

Oh, lovely. I'm stuck trying to defend myself with two knives. Then again, I'd probably kill myself rather than my enemies if they gave me one of those sharp sticks. I sighed as I sunk my knife into a guard's stomach, jerking it up. I think I hit the liver, because I got sprayed with blood. "Well, there goes my t-shirt. And I actually liked that one, too," I muttered to myself, kicking the man down.

With the new arrivals, it was easy to dispatch the enemies and send the grease ball running for the hills, too afraid to look back. They chased him for only a few moments letting him go and laughing at his retreating back.

"Thank you for your aid," Ezio said to the man. I suddenly realized how exhausted he looked. The boy needed sleep, God knows how long he was on his feet for now. Let's hope this man can tell us how to get to the villa. Also let's hope it's not too far. I didn't like the idea of having to carry him. I'm a strong girl, but not _that_ strong, considering he looked like he outweighed me by around 50 pounds. And there is also a suspicious pain growing in my lower belly.

Ezio held out the borrowed sword, returning it.

"No, you keep it, Ezio."

"Do I know you from somewhere?" the young noble raised an eyebrow.

"You don't recognize me?" The man seemed somewhat shocked, "It's a-me, Mario!" I stared at him for a second, only to then hide my face in Claudia's horse's mane to keep from laughing out loud. God really had a sense of humor, didn't he?

"Uncle Mario?" Then there was a gasp as the newly named Mario pulled his nephew into a hug, probably crushing a few ribs. I could barely breathe from laughter now.

"It's been too long, nephew! And...I'm heard about what happened in Firenze." He suddenly became serious. Unfortunately my laughter became a lot louder compared to the silence of his men. Claudia put her hand on my forehead, as if afraid that I had a fever. "Terrible. But let's go up to the villa. I'm sure you all need rest."

I finally calmed down, taking a deep breath and then stretched out my shirt it front of me so I could inspect the damage. Damn, it definitely won't wash off now. I hope there's a tailor around there somewhere. Or at least an abundance of clothes. I couldn't walk around looking like some filthy assassin. It was a dead give away.

"Maria, Claudia, it's good to see you again," Mario bowed to the women, and then turned to me. "And who might you be?"

"Eden." I said shortly, "My name is Eden."

He seemed surprised. "That's an interesting name."

"You're not the first to say that." I glanced at Ezio, but he didn't see- he was trying to climb onto his horse, seemingly half asleep by now. "I'm keeping an eye on these three. And a good thing, it appears. A certain someone here has more enemies than friends," I solemnly said.

"Ah, so those are your work?" he asked, gesturing to the two corpses that were clutching their throats. I looked at them expressionlessly, bending down to get the knifes out. I wiped them on their own jackets.

"Yes." I saw his eyes flicker to the giant blood stain on me. "Don't worry, it's not my blood."

"Are you sure?" he asked, and I looked down in confusion, only now realizing that the stain was getting bigger. Not to mention the pain was growing.

"Well, damn. When did this happen?" I cursed, lifting my shirt to examine the damage. I'm not sure when they managed to, but there was a long, shallow cut, that cut off through the very hem of my shirt. "Shit, I'll have to clean that up soon, or it'll get infected." Then I thought about it for a second. "And get a new shirt. This one is no good anymore."

* * *

One eye open. Lovely, now the other one. Ezio tried, he really did... but he was just so... tired...

"Wake up," a voice whispered into his ear. A very familiar voice... And that smell of leather and blood, and, surprisingly enough, cherries and apples... "Come on, we're here. Do you want me to push you off the horse?" she seemed to be joking, but he could never tell with her.

"No, no, that's quite alright." He muttered, suddenly realizing that a pair of warm arms were holding him upright, when all he wanted to do was fall... fall somewhere... and finally get some sleep...

"Okay, I'm serious. If you fall asleep again, I will push you off, and then make the horse trample over you a few times!" She was definitely kidding now, he could hear laughter. "But _seriously,_" she continued, voice dropping and tinged with concern, "You need to wake up, Ezio." He finally manage to open both of his eyes. Realizing what was happening, reflexively tried to throw Eden off. But she held on tight despite hissing in pain. "Stop that, will you?"

He did and looked around him. They were coming up to tall stone walls, the sky dark, cloudy and somewhat depressing. His Uncle Mario was leading the two other horses with Maria and Claudia on them, heading right up to the gates. And Eden was still sitting behind him, though her grip on him loosened as he became aware again.

"Alright, I have good news, and I have bad news. Which do you want first?" she asked cheerfully, though her voice seemed strained for some reason. He looked back to her cautiously, not liking the happy tone one bit. "The good news is that we're here and you didn't fall off once. Though I was sorely tempted to push you off and take the horse for myself."

"And the bad news?" he replied, ignoring her threat. He shockingly realized he was steadily growing used to them.

"I got blood all over you."

"What?" He almost whipped her in the face with his pony tail as he turned around. She rolled her eyes, still smiling with the corner of her lips.

"Relax, I'm sure no one will notice under that cape of yours."

"Are you alright?" he interrupted, and she looked surprised.

"Yeah, just got a small cut, I'll take care of it once we arrive inside. Anyway, you should see the other guy. He's dead." She shrugged, but he felt a pang of guilt- he must have accidentally hit her in the wound when he started fidgeting. "Come on, we're finally here. Now we can all eat, and you really need some rest."

He did a double take. _Did she just say-?_

"You look pretty tired. When was the last time you had a full night of sleep?" she asked, not noticing his stunned expression.

_She did, didn't she._

"Um, I'm not sure, to be honest," he shrugged, noticing that the question was still hanging.

He felt her slide off the horse, her arms leaving his waist. Watched as she winced slightly in pain, clutching at her bloodstained white shirt though didn't make a sound, he arched a brow as his mother and sister got off their horses as well. He followed their example, somewhat groggily. Uncle Mario gestured them to follow.

"Eden, I do believe you need to take care of that wound. There's a doctor on our way to the villa."

"Lovely," She gritted out, following him.

* * *

"Holy frigging hell!" I nearly screamed as the doctor applied disinfectants to the slice on my belly.

"It was infected, I'm sorry," he apologized. I glared at him. If it was not necessary, I swear I'd take that weird beak of his and then shove it up his...

"Wow, it was easier to find this place with all that yelling." I turned my head to Ezio as he walked into the shop. I was currently lying on the cot at the back of the doctor's office as he cleaned up and stitched together the stupid cut. "You seem to know a lot of swear words. Some aren't even in Italian."

"Yeah, well, they come in useful when I'm burning in hell! And I thought the doctors back home were mean!"

"Miss, please calm down," the man in a bird mask sighed. I'm was in serious pain here! Especially considering this was the second freaking time that I got it cut open in that spot! It was true what they said- the healing sometimes hurt more than the actual wound.

"No, no, she's always like this," Ezio assured him as the man put a bandage around my lower belly, "She's just a little more loud at the moment."

"You probably never even heard a girl scream, so shut up!" I ground my teeth together, thankful that the pain was slowly calming down. But my bad mood stayed.

"Believe me, my dear, your screaming is the last thing I want to hear," he grinned. I glared at him, but for a different reason now.

"I thought I told you to get some sleep."

"What, and miss this show?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Well, when you drop in the middle of the street from exhaustion, I'll be pointing and laughing," I paused, no longer yelling. I didn't mean it, but I felt like I should say something, at least.

He just waved his hand, apparently too tired to argue. "I'm here to buy some medicine. My supply is nearly depleted."

I crossed my arms crossly. (Say that sentence three times really fast.)"No need for the cover up. Just say how worried you were about me and that you just had to come see me."

"Whatever you want to tell yourself." Then after a pause, he changed the subject. "Eden, are you an assassin?"

"What gave you that idea?" I was taken aback. He pointed at the tattoo on my arm- I took off my jacket to let the doctor get to my wound.

"That's the assassin's symbol, my uncle just told me. It's all around this place and on my father's armor and bracer. You seem very proficient in killing."

I looked down at the simple black image and suddenly realized how much it looks like a hood. Ezio's hood.

"It's a brand that the gang I was in gave me. Our leader always said he put it on me when I was too young too remember it. He said it meant I belonged to them. But my sister said that it was my dad that gave it to me/ Frankly, I wasn't sure who to believe." I thought for a second and then realization hit me. "Paola! She recognized it! That's why she made me come with you in the first place!"

"Oh." He seemed a little confused, but so was I.

"I'm not an assassin though," I shrugged, "I'm a gang shooter, lock-picker and medic. I wasn't trained to kill, I was forced to. The rest I learned on my merry way."

"You know what this place lacks?" He suddenly said, changing the subject once again, as if trying to lighten up the mood. Don't know how much it could be lightened up place was depressing- old battered walls, ruined buildings, cloudy, unpleasant sky. If there were no people, it would easily pass for a ghost town.

I sighed, playing along. "What?"

"A brothel."

I gaped at him for a second before wrinkling my nose in disgust. "Ew, the mental images. But, I suppose it's not your fault you can only get girls by paying them. That's nature's mistake."

"You so sure about that?" he asked, his voice suddenly a lot lower, huskier. I started laughing and he looked a little offended for a moment.

"Let me put it to you this way," I said cheerfully. Hey, whadda ya know, the mood did lighten up! "I'd rather cut off both of my legs and try to dance than touch you with a fifty feet pole. Got that?" Not true, Paola's girls were right, he was very attractive. If we met in some bar back in New York, I wouldn't think twice. But his arrogance was grating. The banter was making me feel a whole lot better though.

"Now that would be entertaining to watch."

"Entertaining, but deadly. I can kill you without my legs." He looked at me with a raised eyebrow, "Well, what? It's true- I don't throw knives with my feet, you know."

There was an amused silence. Ezio payed for the little bottles of medicine, and I stood up, flinching slightly at the pain in my lower belly.

"I don't suppose you have any money?" he asked lightly, and I nodded somewhat sadly.

"I actually do, but it's not worth anything here. I'll just find another way to pay you back then," I told the doctor.

"It's alright, I'll pay, considering you were fighting _my _enemies back there," Ezio shook his head, and I shifted my eyebrows together in surprise.

"What? No, that's-"

"Here," before I could finish my protest, he handed the doctor the money. I bit my lip, unsure to respond.

"Thanks, but like I said, I don't have any money. I can't really pay you back."

"Don't worry about it," he shrugged, smiling slightly, and I blinked in surprise. "Just thank the doctor for having to endure your language, and lets be off."

_Well that's a first. _

My mood definitely brightened up a whole lot, I sincerely thanked the doctor. He waved me off, saying he only heard drunk sailors curse like I do. I made an apologetic grimace, but left it at that, following Ezio out the door.

"This place is depressing," I stated as we walked towards the manor showing in the distance. The sky looked not only gray, but a nasty shade of rust. All the walls were chipped and ruined. And unlike Florence, there was no sign of greenery anywhere. The manor itself had most of the windows boarded up, some sort of weed crawling up the walls.

"Uncle said that he never had the time and money to fix it up," Ezio informed me, "It's seen better days. The inside is a lot nicer though, so we should be fine for the next few days around here."

"Are you moving farther?"

"Yes," he confirmed, "We can get a ship to Spain. My father's enemies will not reach us there."

"So..." I wasn't sure what to say- I was not going to Spain, either way. Spain didn't sound nice, I think this was right around the time they were burning witches at the stake. Not pleasant, I heard. "Is that really what your father wanted you to do?" I tentatively asked.

"He would have wanted us all alive. I have to keep what's left of my family safe."

"I can...understand that, I suppose," I sighed heavily, "Except when I was trying to keep my family safe, I did a very stupid thing of joining a gang."

"Do you regret it?" he asked. I glanced at him, surprised by the question.

"As much as I'm expected to. It didn't help anything, but I was young and stupid. I thought I was strong enough to protect my mother and sister and then ended up losing them anyway," I shrugged. Only after I said it did I realized that this little bit of information could have sounded like a hint to him. At the time, I thought I was simply telling him a piece of my past.

He froze. I kept walking up the stairs, meaning to walk away from the scene dramatically. But a new explosion of pain in my stomach made me grip the railing tightly, and I cringed, biting my lip to keep in the groan. There was a movement and then he swept my legs from underneath me. The next moment I was staring up at him, instinctively putting my arms around his neck.

"What the hell are you doing? Put me down!" I exclaimed. But he didn't even look at me, his face stony. Getting used to the position after a second, I calmed down, only because I felt his wrist knife poking my back lightly. That certainly caused me to stop fidgeting immediately. I don't think he meant it as a threat in any way. But I tended to be more careful when there was a chance of accidentally setting off a weapon pointed at me. "Thanks, but I would have just left you on the street, you know."

The corner of his lips pulled up. "And that's the difference between you and me."

"Now tell me the difference between you and a dung beetle," I grumbled. He was carrying me up the stairs now. I was still far from relaxed- his arms were just about as comfortable as a statue's. Bringing me through the front door of the villa, I did appreciate the fact that he at least tried to shift so I wouldn't hit a limb on the frame. Then, it was up the stairs. In a few moments I was dumped onto a bed in the most ungentlemanly fashion possible.

"Gee, thanks," I snapped at him as he turned to walk out of the room. I dropped my head on the soft pillow, and then yelled, "And for the love of god, get some sleep!" as he disappeared out of my sight. I swore I heard the bastard laugh quietly.

Damn him. I should just screw it all an leave now.

But just... not... now. The pillows are pretty soft... and I didn't get that much sleep either...

* * *

When Ezio came to check on of his sister and mother, he was taken aback by the very first question that Claudia asked.

"Where's Eden?"

"Oh, Claudia, I'm alright, how nice of you to ask," he frowned, and she made an apologetic face.

"It's just that she looked really hurt."

"She's fine. The cut was shallow. But it got infected, judging from the screaming coming out of the Doctor's office." His sister looked at him in horror and he attempted a smile. "She's fine, she sleeping in one of the spare bedrooms."

"Oh. Okay." she nodded, taking a calming breath. Then she looked at her mother. "She still won't talk. She spends all her time in front of those feathers Petruccio collected." Her eyes filled with tears.

"Don't worry, we'll get her back, I'm sure of it," He pulled her into a hug, expecting her to start crying. But she didn't, sniffing slightly and tucking her head in his chest.

"He was just a little boy! He didn't... he didn't have to die..." Her breathing hitched and he held her tighter, but she pulled away, taking a deep breath. "It's not use crying. It's not... going to bring any of them back. And Eden said it'll just upset Mother more." Claudia looked over him with a critical eye, "You should get some sleep, too. Uncle said there was another room at the top floor."

"Right. I'll see you in the morning, then."

* * *

There was banging, crashing, a stifled yelp, then a groan of pain, and muttered curses.

Basically the things you'd associate with one person crashing into a table that had at least three different pans on it.

I rubbed my forehead, shaking away the dizzy feeling and looking around. The kitchen was very dark and I was too lazy to get out my lighter and find a candle. Not used to the lack of electrical light, I crashed into the said table, sending its contents flying onto the floor. Finally I sighed, and took out my lighter, clicking it on. The small light burned my eyes for a few seconds. But I finally moved towards the cabinets, looking through them. After a moment, I sat at the table with food piled onto my plate. Glancing around and finding the candle with my eyes, I brought the little light to it.

I was just about to begin enjoying the different fruit I had on my plate, as well as a loaf of bread and some cheese, when a voice caught me off guard.

"That's an interesting torch you have." I nearly choked on the apple, looking around. It was Mario, though I heard no footsteps as he approached and sat down opposite of me.

"...Hi," I finally said once the piece of apple went down the right tube.

"Hello." He seemed amused. The glow of the candle gave him a slightly mysterious and creepy look, though his smile was quite friendly.

"I'm sorry for raiding the kitchen. I was hungry." I suddenly realized it was _his _food I was rudely eating. He waved his hand in the air. The candle flickered in protest.

"Don't worry. Claudia told me you helped them get here, so you're welcome to whatever you can find."

"Thanks," I said awkwardly.

"My nephew said you have a tattoo on your arm." I blinked in surprise. Was that his sole reason for talking to me in the middle of the night? He wanted to see some picture I didn't even know much about until a few hours ago?

I hummed in agreement, lowering the shoulder of my jacket to show it to him. His eyes traced over it. "That is the sign of the assassins."

"I got that far on my own. Who are the assassins, really?" I asked in curiosity. He seemed to think about it for a second, his evaluating eye on me.

"We are... an Order, I suppose. We follow the ancient creed that was left to us by our ancestors."

"What creed? Stab them with the pointy end?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. We don't kill innocents. We hide in plain sight. And we cannot compromise the Brotherhood." He corrected me, and I tapped my chin thoughtfully. "We are opposed to the Templars. Where we try to dispel the illusions, they seek to use it for power."

"That's interesting," I said slowly, unsure what I was supposed to do with the knowledge. "But what does it mean? What illusion?"

"The illusion that covers up the corruption, lies and evil of their actions. The assassins want peace, through violence. It is one of the contradiction of our order, but it works."

"How so?"

"You see, sometimes, by making that one little sacrifice, we end the evil that came from them. We kill for peace."

"Well, I've been down that road before," I waved my hand, "I was in a gang, you see, back at home. Except I killed because my friends and family were in danger. I killed because our leader told us to. Because disobedience sometimes meant death."

There was a silence. "I don't know where you came from, Eden Cleare. But it is obvious by your marking that you are one of us."

"An assassin?" I leaned back in my chair, chewing on my lip. "I know how to kill. After this many years, I came to enjoy it, even. But I don't understand what you want from me."

"We want nothing from you," he shrugged,"It is Ezio that needs help."

"You got that right," I muttered. "He gets himself into trouble I barely pull him out of."

"He wants to leave Italy, take his family farther."

"I know."

"Help me convince him to stay."

I nearly fell out of my chair, staring at the older man with shock.

"You might not have noticed, but he sort of doesn't like me. There's no way he's going to listen to me."

"I'm sure you can find a way," Mario smiled mysteriously again. "I heard you two bantering today, when you returned from the doctor's."

"Then I sure you got the part where he hates me."

"Ezio doesn't hate you. He's irritated, tired, confused, unsure how to deal with all that happened. You just manage to find where it hurts him the most."

"For the last time, I'm trying to help, I just have... interesting ways of doing so!" Mario simply shook his head, letting me continue. "Though Jake always did say I was good at pushing people's buttons. Sometimes unintentionally."

"Please, Eden, I need your help…_we_ need your help."

"No." I said sternly. "You don't need my help. You need him. I'm just a tool of getting him." I let out a deep breath, pausing, and finishing bitterly, "I'm tired of being a tool."

"It doesn't have to be like that, you know," he sighed, "Whatever your reasons were for coming along with him, you did it. And I'm sure that underneath it all, you're happy you did so."

"I don't know why I came with them, though," I protested, "I wanted to help, and I didn't have anything else aside from them."

"And that's why I trust you. To an extent," he shrugged. I rubbed my forehead tiredly.

"And what's the extent?"

"I'll allow you to stay here, in the villa," he crossed his arms, and I looked at him, my respect for this man growing. Can't get something by peaceful, honest measures, go for manipulation.

"I just don't like the idea of trading one prison for another."

"You get a certain freedom as an assassin, though." He was ever so patient when I did not deserve it. "You're simply helping our cause, and nothing else. We won't force you to do anything you don't want."

I stopped, turning away from him and taking a deep breath. The silence stretched and stretched.

"Why is he so important for you, anyway? He's just one boy."

"I can't tell you, for I don't know the entire story myself. Please, Eden. At least consider it."

I watched absently as a random spider crawled towards a trapped fly. A maid should really clean up in here...

I was going to stay around anyway. Whether I help out or not, I had no where else to go. If I didn't stay for this whole assassin business, then I'd stay from Maria and Claudia, at least. Maria's face changed with my mother's in my head. I looked just like her, but I always thought she was more beautiful by a mile. She always smiled, even when she found out what I did a year after dad left. She smiled through the tears, hugging me close. Eve looked like her, too, but more so; she got her eyes, her exact shade of skin, the arch of the eyebrows. A painful reminder of the one most important person in my life. The one that I fought so hard for, only to lose her in the end. I think my sister left me for the same reason, though she never admitted it out loud.

I wanted to help. I really did. And I guess this was the best opportunity for it, wasn't it? I didn't know what I was getting myself into. So I simply did what I'm best at doing.

Making it up as I go along.

I let the air out of my chest in a quick breath, coming to a conclusion. "Fine. I'll do it."


	5. Chapter 4

Ezio was awakened rather rudely by a certain annoying abomination by the name of Eden. She jumped onto his bed, or, more specifically, his stomach. He groaned, and heard her laugh.

"Rise and shine!" she pealed, getting off him and flinging open the curtains.

"What the hell?" he yelled, shielding his eyes from the sunlight, barely resisting the urge to retreat further into his bed.

"Sorry, always wanted to do that!"

"Someone's in a cheerful mood this morning."

"And why not?" she asked. "It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, the grass in non-existent, and Lisa is making googly eyes at her lover. Claudia sent me to wake you up."

"She must hate me, then," he finally opened his eyes, letting them get used to the bright light. Eden was standing in front of the window, as chirpy and bright as ever. He groaned, closing his eyes again. "You're not exactly something I want to see first thing in the morning."

"Don't worry, you won't have to anymore." she shrugged, and he was irritated to see that his words had absolutely no effect on her. "Everyone was just busy, so I was the odd one out."

"Or you were just trying to cope a feel." he smirked. She rolled her eyes.

"You have nothing I haven't seen and... ahem, felt before."

"That so?"

"Yep!" she pointedly ignored his flirty voice, and he was relieved she did- it was hard to keep the seductive voice with her. The very idea made him feel nauseous. "Speaking of which, it's a shame I had to get rid of the shirt. I liked that one. Belonged to my boyfriend." she sighed, pouting slightly. He noticed she was no longer wearing he short sleeved white shirt that was stained with blood and cut up now. Now she was wearing a training tunic she must have found around the villa, caught at her waist by a belt.

"So you have a lover somewhere?" he raised an eyebrow, somehow unable to find a reason a sane man would go for this woman unless they wanted to be driven out of that sanity. She seemed to see the flow of his thoughts, frowning.

"Like I said, I can be likable. And no, I don't have a lover somewhere. Not anymore."

"What happened?"

"Oh, you know, he died." she shrugged as if telling him the weather forecast.

"Suicide?" he asked.

"No. Accident." she grimaced, her cheerfulness disappearing, and a small frown appearing on her lips. "Anyway, everyone's waiting for you in the dining room for lunch. You missed breakfast."

"Right. I'll get on that." he sighed, though the idea of getting up seemed painful at the moment.

"Come on, little assassin, there are things to be done today."

He groaned again at that stupid nickname as the girl ran out of his room. But what could he do? He had to get up anyway. It's already midday, judging by the sun.

* * *

I skipped down the stairs, nearly crashing into the one and only servant girl by the name Lisa, who I saw with a man around the villa the day before. I'm pretty sure she's not allowed to see how far she can shove her tongue down a man's throat on the job, though...

She smiled at me shyly, asking if I needed anything. I looked at her in thought for a second, unsure whether take advantage of the hospitality or tell her to get a backbone.

I did neither. After all, I guess she was actually lucky to get a job in this town. I think my mind was still on its New York setting, that's all. "Nothing." she nodded, and continued on her way, while I went outside.

Despite the sunshine, which brightened up the village considerably, it was still in a sad state of repair. I could see some ruined buildings from here, like a boarded up church, the cross leaning slightly to the side, threatening to fall on some unfortunate chap that happened to walk by. As I walked through the streets, people threw me strange looks, though not approaching me. They all seemed to be rushing somewhere, though what you could possibly be doing around this village, I'll never know.

I was looking for a tailor, but I quickly found out that the shop was empty and abandoned, spiders and rats the only residents. So instead, I headed for the armory.  
The man sitting behind the counter was leaning onto the wall, probably bored out of his mind. Seeing someone approach, he perked up, but then identified me as female, and his expression fell again.

"Can I help you, Signora?"

"Yes, you can." I confirmed. "You see, I took a little scratch yesterday, and I swear, the doctors here take pleasure in torturing you. I want to make sure that doesn't happen again."

* * *

"Ezio, I have a request for you." Mario said from across the table, watching as his nephew inhaled his food. He looked up. "I want you to stay here, at the villa for a few more days."

"What? Why?"

"To train. You barely held your own against Vieri's men last night, if Eden was not around, you'd take a worse beating that that."

"Lovely. I'm getting tired of hearing her brought into every conversation around here." Ezio snapped.

"That woman is a godsend," his Uncle spoke seriously. "Rough around the edges, but she's got spirit and skill. With a bit more training, she'd be a great asset to us."

"She's also mean, sadistic, violent, and she doesn't take anything seriously," the young noble argued. "Besides, she showed up out of nowhere in strange clothes, suddenly intent on helping us. I can't say I trust her."

"That doesn't matter, we're not talking about Eden. What I was beginning to say is that I think you need some training. Please, stay, only for another week. If not for me, then for your mother and sister."

Ezio sighed, thinking it over. He barely contributed to the fight with Vieri, and ran from the guards back in Firenze. Stabbing a defenseless man was a lot easier that actually fighting someone off. His uncle was right. If he was going to protect his mother and Claudia, then he would have to actually learn how to use the blade properly. Eden was not going to be around forever, she made it clear that if they sail for Spain, she won't come, preferring to stay in Italy.

"Fine. I will stay to train."

"Wonderful! There's a training rink right in front of the villa. We can start whenever you're ready."

* * *

"Good, there you go, you're getting it now!" Mario praised as Ezio jumped away from the mercenary as he came at him with a training sword. He barely slipped away from the last hit, ducking right before it almost jammed into his neck. The mercenary did not seem to understand that this was practice, and was going full force with the blunt sword as if Ezio made a dirty comment about his much loved mother.

He didn't reply, jumped away from the sword again as it came for his side, and rolling over on the ground, jumping to his feet the next second.

"Let's take a break, I think. Brumo, I said take a break! Stop hitting him!" The man finally froze, and apologized to Ezio, holding out his hand to help him up, but the noble eyed the bear paw with a great deal of mistrust, and stood up by himself, jumping over the railing. He was breathing hard, and he has long since discarded the top layer of his armor, keeping only a light linen shirt on. Mario clapped him on the back.

"I think you can give your enemies something to think about, now! We'll resume practice tomorrow again."

"Sure... thing... Uncle..." he gasped, and heard a peal of laughter, but looking around, he didn't see the owner of it. Then he noticed Mario was looking up, and raised his eyes.

Eden was sitting on the railing above them, cross legged, her leather jacket draped beside her. She looked as if she was meditating, though that was very unlikely.

"Eden, what are you doing up there?" Mario asked, raising his voice so she would hear him. Even from here, they could see her smirk.

"Why, enjoying the show of course. Two sweaty men in a rink, beating the hell out of each other. What's not to like?" She was sarcastic. "But seriously, you could at least take your shirts off. That would make me appreciate it a whole lot more."

The residents of the Autidore villa were still surprised at the way she seemed to always speak her mind, no matter what it was, though how she delivered all of it depended on her mood, which changed, oh, say, every three seconds? Ezio didn't see much of Eden in the two days that they stayed at the villa. While he practiced with his Uncle, or dug through the library, unsure of what he was even looking for, she was exploring the town and doing god knows what else. Sometimes she simply disappeared, but always came back about an hour later, according to the servant girl, Lisa.

"You know, Eden, it wouldn't hurt for you to practice, as well," his uncle suddenly suggested, and her smile disappeared. "Have you ever used a sword?"

"No." She put on her jacket over top of the shirt that looked like it was meant for men, and jumped down, landing in a crouch. "We don't use swords back at home."

"Really? What do you use then?"

She gave a toothy grin. "That's for me to know and for you to never try to find out."

"As you wish." Mario seemed confused, and he was not the only one. Ezio looked at her with surprise as well. "But here, we do use swords, and it would be useful for you to know how to fight with one, as well."

She seemed to be thinking about it. "Well, I suppose, but let me warn you- I never even held one before. I'm not responsible for any of the damage to your property, or your niece."

"Claudia?"

"No." Mario glanced at Ezio, and then threw his head back and laughed hard at the sour look on his face.

"Then we'll start with the basics!"

Ezio looked at his Uncle with surprise. "Uncle, I know she doesn't look like one, but she's a woman."

"A woman that will kick you in your microscopic testicles if you continue that thought," she threatened, narrowing her eyes dangerously. It were the comments about her gender that made her go from light as air to threatening to tear your lungs out. One particular mercenary, who started laughing at her clothes, saying that a woman should wear dresses, and leave man's clothes alone, ended up in the doctor's shop, after tragically counting all the steps leading up to the villa with his nose. He wouldn't admit what happened, though by the way the woman always tried to hide a malicious smile every time it was brought up, no one had a doubt about what happened.

"Careful, nepote, she'll do it too!" Mario laughed, and Ezio sighed. She would. It was a line that should never be crossed unless you wish to have a death wish. "And this woman has so far proved to have more backbone than half my men. No, Brumo, not you." he hurried to say to the man as his giant face fell, nearly crushing everyone around him. Catastrophe prevented.

She sighed. "It can't hurt. But one condition." she held up a finger, and then pointed it at Ezio. "He doesn't watch."

"And what's wrong with me?" he crossed his arms.

"Well, lot's of things." she snapped, but he was taken aback by the insecure gleam in her eyes. "But in this situation, it's the fact that I won't be able to get through a drill without wanting to hit you with a cat."

"A cat?"

"Yes. A cat." she said with a perfectly straight face. And then she glanced at the man Brumo with the same fear as Ezio felt minutes ago, "And maybe I should practice with, I don't know, like a child or something first."

"So you can eat them afterward?" Ezio raised an eyebrow.

"No, because even a child can beat me in sword play," she said very seriously.

"I'm sure you can catch on quickly." Mario said. "I've seen you use those knives of yours, you're very skilled. A sword is almost the same, though a lot heavier. It's a matter of practice."

"Fine. Are we starting now, or...?"

"Sure."

She sighed, as she discarded her jacket again, and threw in onto the raining. Then she looked expectantly as Ezio, and he glared, but left.

* * *

"Well, that was..." Mario panted slightly. I did too, leaning on the hilt of the practice blade. It was lighter than what the mercenaries here used for practice, but a lot more familiar to my hand, like the handle of my favorite dagger. It look me nearly three hours to wave around with the same familiarity, though, but the Italian man was pleased with my progress. "That was certainly better than I expected, Eden. Are you sure you're not related to an assassin?"

"How should I know?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "If my father ever was, he didn't tell me anything. And then he left, anyway."

"What man would leave his family?" he asked, seemingly finding it outrageous. I shrugged.

"Quite easily, it seems. I don't know what his problem was, really, he left us when I was fourteen. Eve, my sister, was twelve." It didn't hurt to talk about him anymore, which continued to surprise me. Someone once told me these things don't fade, but I guess they were wrong.

"And what of your mother? Was she an assassin?" he asked as he raised his sword again. I looked at it sourly, and then lifted my own. Good thing that over the years of climbing and running, I built up some muscle.

"I don't know." I shrugged again as he made a slow strike at me, which I deflected, if clumsily. "She died a year after dad left."

"Horrible." he looked sympathetic, but I just made a grimace.

"It was, but I don't dwell on it. I don't pity the dead, Mario." I said calmly as I tried my best to thrust the blade under his. He simply side stepped it. "I pity the living."

"And why is that?"

"Because at least the dead don't have to care for others. They're simply dead."

"Do you not believe in afterlife?"

I laughed bitterly. "My name is misleading. I don't have a religion. My mother didn't believe in any of the crap the priests loaded, either, but she thought the story of the Garden of Eden was really fascinating, thus mine and my sister's names."

"You speak of your sister often." I dodged a slash, not having enough time to make it slide on the sword. "Is she..."

"Dead? No, alive and well. She hates my guts though."

"Sounds like there's a story to that."

"One that I'm not sharing." I snapped, in a flash of rage, my blade made a flash through the air and hit Mario on the fingers that held the hilt of his own sword, and he nearly dropped it, hissing it pain. I didn't bother apologizing- my temper risen with the last few words. I turned away from him, and jumped out of the ring, grabbing my jacket as I did so. "I think that's enough for today."

I stormed through the manor, up the stairs to the spare bedroom I was using. I didn't have anything aside from the remains of my boyfriend's shirt at all the contents of my bag, considering I outright refused to wear the dressed Lisa brought in for me, instead taking tunics and shirts from the laundry. I changed into a simple gray cotton shirt that went down to my thigh, and sighed, sitting down on the bed, dropping my face into my hands.

While the memories of my father didn't hurt at all anymore, and the mention of my mother made me numb and stony, Eve was a thorn in my heart, that one little part of it that was still alive and bleeding. People asked me what happened between us, but I could never answer. It's not like I didn't know why she became to cold to me, it's just that I simply couldn't say it out loud, preferring to dismiss it with jokes and angry comments. It was automatic now.

I sighed heavily. I'd apologize to Mario next time I saw him- he didn't deserve this after giving me a place to stay, food to eat, and ever trying teach me sword play. I blew up, my temper overflowed, and now, I felt really bad about all of it. It hurt to talk about her like it never hurt to talk about my father, and the idea of saying the story out loud made me panic.

I stood up, and decided to go find Lisa, find out if there are any pants I could steal from the laundry as well that would actually fit me.

The interior of the manor was a lot more pleasing on the eyes than the outside. The walls were made in while marble, and huge chandeliers hung in nearly every room, and then there were different rugs on the walls, too. The main hall was bit... I don't know, empty I guess, but very grand. The bedrooms had gigantic curtains on the windows, very soft beds, and nice furniture in general. I also discovered something of an art gallery, but most of the frames were empty. When I asked Lisa about it, she said that Mario just never got around to decorating the room.

I was coming down the stairs when I heard the girl. I was about to call after her, but then I also heard a male voice, and I froze.

"Please, Dario, I'll get in trouble if they find you here!"

"But darling-"

"I'll lose my job, and-"

Without giving it another thought, I made a dash back the way I came from, the footsteps and arguing was getting louder. I wretched the door of the nearest closet open, praying that it was empty, and jumped inside, shutting the door after me.

"Well, now, fancy bumping into you here."

It was my turn to groan.

Karma's a bitch.

And I hate her.


	6. Chapter 5

"I hate you."

"I gathered."

"I really, really hate you."

Silence.

"Well?"

"Well what?"

"Don't you have some astoundingly witty reply that you're eager to share?"

"No."

"No?"

"No."

"Fine. Then I'll start."

"You do that."

"Why are you here?"

"Why are _you_ here?"

"I asked first."

"And I'm asking second."

"I was walking along because someone told me to scram from the training grounds, and then I heard those two pacing around."

"Hm," I sighed, trying to shift into a more comfortable position. It didn't work. "Same."

"Who told you to scram? I want to thank the man."

"I meant I heard the lover's quarrel. Didn't want to intrude."

"Really? _You?_"

"I have some tact left."

"Could have fooled me. And I swear the god, woman, don't move that knee any higher."

"Why are you so worried?" I mocked. I could almost feel his glare.

"Let me guess? The door locked behind you."

"Hm? Oh, yes. Unless it opens the other way, yes, it locked behind me."

"Lovely," he shifted. I grimaced…there was an uncomfortable amount of contact involved.

"Stop moving. It's cramped as it is."

"It was quite roomy until you came along, actually."

"Are you making a crack about my weight?"

"Not at all."

After a second, I groaned. _"Fuck."_

"Yep. Oh, and by the way, I retract my statement from earlier. You are not flat as a board, it seems."

"Oh, gee, thanks so much for your approval," I self-consciously tried moving farther away from him, but the walls rudely refused to let me sink through them.

"Why did the make the ceiling so damn low on this thing, anyway?" Ezio grumbled as he hovered over my head, having to lean on the wall behind me to keep as much space between as possible and not collapse on me completely.

"I don't know. Ask the architect," I snapped at him. To say I was in a bad mood was to say the least. "And why the hell are you so wet?"

"I just came out of the bathhouse."

"Ah. Should have known- you actually smelt clean for once."

"Thanks for tha- hey!"

"I aim to please." Silence fell between us for a while. Suddenly he spoke up.

"When do you think we're going to get out of here?"

"I don't know. But hopefully, very soon." I didn't like the fact that I noticed how hard his chest was. Dammit it all.

"Aw, come on, admit it. You want me."

"Yes! I do want you! Right here, right now, in this very small closet that for some stupid reason locks itself!" I hissed, kicking him.

"Okay, ow!"

"You deserved that, you asshole."

"When was the last time you were even this close to a man, anyway?"

Too long, it appears. "Not long enough to even consider you a man. You're more of a slug in my mind."

"Lovely image."

"It is, but it doesn't add to your non-existent charm."

Lies, dammit. I hated him so freaking much. And I also hated the fact that I was still human, female, and still overloaded with hormones. I fell silent, trying my hardest to ignore the fact that he smelled like soap and something distinctly male, not unpleasant, though. Not to mention the heat that radiated off his body. _This isn't right!_ I frantically thought. _This is the most annoying, naive, arrogant, stubborn_ _jackass…and he hates me as much as I hate him!_

Okay, so I didn't hate him. But I _really_ wanted to. It would make things a lot easier.

_All cats are gray in the dark._ I never understood the full meaning of that until now, really. Stupid hormones.

"Well, never though I'd see the day. You're quiet," he sneered through the dark, and the reality finally came crashing down on me. I almost sighed with relief.

"What, would you rather I chattered your ear off?"

"No, but I'm starting to wonder if you fell asleep of something. Or died."

"No reason to sound so hopeful."

"Hm. You're right. The smell would be horrible."

I punched him in the side, though due to the lack of space, it was weak. He reflexively moved to trap my hand between his hip and the wall.

"Let go." I growled.

"So you can punch me again?"

I let out another growl in anger. My other hand was on my other side and I was unable to help myself out of the trap. He was strong and the closet was small.

"If you don't let me go," I lowered my voice dangerously, "I'll give you a hug."

He gasped in mock horror. Admittedly, I was struggling to hold back a grin. Trust me, it was quite difficult. "You _wouldn't!_"

"Oh, I so _would_!"

"Do you even know what a hug is? Seeing as you never had one in your life?"

"Well, I guess the hugs I get aren't as innocent as ones between friends. But I'm sure the technique is the same."

"Seriously though, don't touch me."

"Let go of my arm."

"No."

"Now you're just being stubborn."

"Learn from the best. And I like to see just how far you'd go."

"Ha ha," I laughed sourly, "I guess my arm is not that important. If I can just reach my knife..."

"Don't get blood on me."

I swore under my breath.

"What is it now?"

"My knives are in my boots. I can't reach."

"Aw."

"Asshole," I snapped, "I also have a lock pick in there."

"How many things are hidden on you?"

"Wouldn't you like to know?"

"Not really, no."

"If can get to them, I'll open the door."

"Well, you can't."

"No shit, Sherlock."

"Who?"

"Famous detective. Never mind."

"Oh."

"Could you reach?"

"Maybe."

"Okay, that's my thigh."

"Well, I can't see a damn thing."

"And you're supposed to be an assassin."

"Exactly! An assassin! Not an owl!"

"...Duly noted."

I felt his warm hand slide down my leg. His hair brushed my face as he leaned down, the arm that was still leaning onto to wall behind me barely a millimeter above my shoulder. I resisted the urge to shiver.

"I can't reach!"

I lifted my leg up a bit, turning slightly to give him better access. His arm must have slipped or something, because somehow it ended up on my waist. But only for a second. He moved it to the wall quickly, and I was thankful he did.

"Damn, how many pockets to you have?"

"The lock pick is in the very bottom one!" I hissed. "Hurry up! Your hair is wet!"

His hands were on my leg again, now lower and feeling around my calf, right above my boots. He seemed to have found the pocket, finally, quickly sliding up my body again as he straightened out.

"Got it!" He felt around for my hand and I felt the familiar thin metal.

"Took you long enough," I growled, moving my other hand to the pocket that was much closer to the to and pulling out my lighter. "You might want to move away a bit more."

"What? Why?"

"You might get burned."

"What are you doing?" he seemed to be panicking now, but I ignored him, clicking on the lighter. The small flame illuminated the closet, showing Ezio's slightly scared face. I smirked.

"Don't worry, it won't hurt you."

"What is that?" Fear was replaced by curiosity.

"It's a lighter-"

"_What?"_

"It…it makes fire," I replied, remembering that he'd have no idea what the hell a lighter was. "There's a bit of fuel in there and it makes sparks," I quickly added. The last thing I needed was him thinking I was a witch or something and calling me to be burned at the stake. "Now shut up and let me concentrate," I added. I moved, having to turn side ways to face the door so that my shoulders were pressed between Ezio and the wall. I then sunk down into an very uncomfortable crouch and set to work on the lock.

"Who makes locks like that on closets?" I asked in frustration. It had two triggers inside. "It's a small empty cupboard no one ever uses!"

"Don't ask me, ask the architect."

"Shut up," I snapped. I was now in an even worse mood, because his... ahem, upper leg was now in my shoulder. Ew.

"Are you about done?" he seemed to notice the close proximity I had with his family jewels too, and he was getting nervous, all for a good reason.

"Almost- There!" I turned the knob and nearly fell out of the closet, stepping outside and stretching with a groan of relief. Ah, beautiful light. I missed you so.

Ezio stepped out after me, looking ruffled. He looked at my sincerely happy expression and seemed so surprised to find me actually content after nearly an hour (at least it felt like it) of sitting in the closet with him. Then he finally snapped, "We are to never speak of this again."

"Speak of what now?" I raised an eyebrow, tucking away my lighter and lock pick away in their original places. When I straightened out, I smiled brightly at his grumpy expression. "Trust me, I got about as much pleasure out of that as you did."

He glowered at me and my smile faded, for some reason my temper flaring. "Fine. Be that way." I snapped, turning and storming away.

When I was outside again, I took a deep breath of fresh air. That was a nice change after a dusty cupboard and him.

Well that was...interesting?

* * *

Ezio ran a hand through his still slightly damp hair in thought and loathing for the demon that was Eden. Oh, the irony of her name. Meant to symbolize perfection, peace and beauty when really, she was a horrible, mean, sadistic witch. He loathed her nearly as much as as Vieri. Not because she wasn't an enemy, but rather an ally who he couldn't get rid of. He hated her because he was raised as a gentleman and unable to physically harm her, even when he really wanted to. Even if it seemed like her life's desire to drive him completely insane.

And most of all, he hated the fact that her smell was still lingering in his nose. He despised the fact that he was a young man in a close encounter with a young woman. The only thing that reminded him who she was in the darkness was the way she insulted him every time she opened her mouth, more than usual due to her very bad mood.

Damn her. Damn the bloody closet, damn the stupid lock, damn her warm scent...of cherries and apples.

He breathed in deeply, trying to get the smell out of his nose. He'll have to burn this shirt, it seemed. Right now, he needed to go and find himself a distraction and a bit of rest.

He wondered absently if there was a brothel anywhere around town.


	7. Chapter 6

I knocked the sword out of Mario's hand, now moving a lot move confidently. I was practicing again and mostly failing- it took me a few hours to get back into that confidence. At the beginning, I ended up on my back more than a few times. But at least I managed to progress. We weren't even going over maneuvers yet, just trying to get me comfortable with the heavier and longer blade.

I apologized to Mario for losing my temper the next day after the memorable closet incident. The conversation was somewhat tense at first.

"I'm sorry." I was not used to apologizing, especially of my own free will. It was almost discouraged back at home, but I tried the best way I could. "I shouldn't have gotten angry." He didn't say anything at the time, his face expressionless. I continued, taking the silence as a reason to explain myself. "My sister is still a sore spot for me. When our mother died, she blamed me, saying that with everything I've gone through, I should have been able to protect her. She also attacked me in the middle of the funeral, and then she just left, saying she couldn't even stand to look at me." I sighed. I hadn't shared this with many people. Not because I didn't want to, but because the only person I could tell it to was Alex...and he was dead now. Jake was my best friend, but he was part of the gang too, and I couldn't tell him because of Larry, the leader. Some twisted story like that. "I guess I just... never gotten over it."

Mario's expression softened slightly. "Thank you for telling me, Eden. I trust you'll try to hold your temper now?"

I nodded guiltily. "Yes. Again, I'm sorry for what the way I stormed off."

Now, we were just about finishing up practice. Mario didn't seem to mind spending his time training Ezio and me, though I wasn't really sure what else there was to do in the villa other than ruffle through the library and maybe do paperwork. This was probably a welcome break to the monotony to him.

"Good girl," he praised with appreciation, picking up his weapon.

"So I'm getting better?" My voice was a little strained- I put nearly all my strength into the disarming move and now my entire arm hurt.

He seemed to think about it for a second.

"I think so, yes. You seem to depend a lot more on your agility than actual strength..."

"I wonder why _that_ is."

"...but you seem to find ways to use that to your advantage," he continued, "Though you still need a lot of practice- we're moving very slowly at the moment. Real battles won't be so slow."

"Well, they might be, considering who I'm fighting against. There are some slow people around... Or, you know, dead ones." I shrugged. I was not too optimistic. But it wasn't like I was actually going to use this long piece of metal for direct fighting. I was perfectly happy with my knives. And the sword was out to get me, I could just tell. It bluntly refused cooperate with me.

Mario was moving a whole lot slower than when practicing with Ezio or the mercenaries, too. I would have felt offended if I didn't know that if he went any faster, I would be on the ground within seconds, much like I was in the beginning of training.

I heard slow applause and looked over to the stairs to find Ezio walking down towards us. "You're pretty decent. Surprising, the amount of progress you've made over only three days."

Unexpected praise, coming from him. I raised my eyebrow in bewilderment.

"Did you finally get laid or something?"

"Pardon?" Instead of answering, I hopped over the fence, coming up to him and smelling the air, wrinkling my nose immediately.

"You did, didn't you?"

"If you're referring to my visit to a certain woman's bed, then yes, "I got laid,"" he replied with a lazy smile. I couldn't help but roll my eyes. Saying that around his uncle... the kid had nerve, I'll gave him that.

"Should I call the doctor for a check up then?" I scratched my nose thoughtfully. "How's the poor woman? Die of laughter yet?"

"Your jealousy is unbecoming."

"I'm sure."

I moved past him to lounge on the bench. "Well, what's on the agenda today?"

No one replied to me as Ezio approached his uncle. "Thank you for all you've taught me, Uncle." I didn't like the tone of voice. He was still bent on leaving.

"You're family! I'm looking out for you." Mario didn't seem to catch that note in the boy's voice, though.

"I'm glad you made me stay."

"Ah, so you've reconsidered leaving?" his smile got even more bright. Ow, my eyes.

Damn, Mario was going to be crushed.

There was a pause, in which the old man's face slowly fell. "We'll sail for Spain tomorrow."

"But- I've taught you all those skills so you can use them against our enemies!"

"And if they find us, I will."

I closed my eyes, expecting the explosion. Mario seemed to become more and more angry by the second.

"Fine, if you want to deny your heritage and throw away away everything your father fought and died for, be it! Good bye and luck to you!" He raised his voice only slightly, but it was still menacing. Without waiting for either one of us to react, he stormed away to the villa.

"Wait, Uncle-" Ezio shook his head to himself. "Why is he so upset?"

"Why wouldn't he be?" As we left the rink, a few mercenaries took over. One of them turned towards us. "Vieri was assaulting us ever since you arrived."

I raised an eyebrow, leaning onto my rolled up jacket like a pillow. "Hm. That guy really doesn't like to lose, does he? I heard his men killed another one of your uncle's groups. They can't go on like this for too long without striking back. They were hoping you'd be around to help."

"How did you know that?" Ezio looked hurt for a second and I bared my teeth.

"Let's just say I keep on dropping things right in front of doors where he has meetings with the leader of the mercenaries."

"Right. I should have known." he replied, and I pretended to be offended.

"Anyway, you might see where your uncle might be a little upset with you for that. I don't know what he planned, but I guess it involved you somehow. Now he'll have to rethink a few strategies."

He looked deep in thought, his face confused and guilty. I sighed. "You know, you could always stay around a little longer. This is not the most cheerful place, but it's safe."

"She's right, you know," the leader of the mercenaries said as he watched two of his men spar, "The town itself is nearly ruined, but the walls are still strong enough to hold out a siege. And Maestro relies on you."

His eyes shifted between us, as if unsure. Then he simply marched up the stairs to the castle.

"You think he's convinced?" I wondered out loud to the warrior, who was still watching the fight intently. He didn't reply for a moment.

"Hopefully. Our chances are pretty low without him. We won't be able to get past the front gate."

"Because you're outnumbered?"

"Because they're always closed now. There's not one mercenary that can climb over the walls. And forgive me for saying this, but you are not a fighter."

I held back my defensive retort- he was right. Knives and guns were nice and all, but I had no chance in battle without some back up. And climbing over the walls alone seemed like suicide. I already decided that even if Ezio left, I would stay to help Mario out. I liked the man and I hoped to actually be of some use around here. If my father was an assassin and he was the one that branded me, then I should at least live up to it. You could officially say I unofficially joined them when I agreed to help convince Ezio to stay.

* * *

"Ezio? Eden? What are you two doing here?" Mario turned away from a group of mercenaries he was giving out orders to, a look of shock in his one good eye. I shrugged, clearly showing that I didn't even know what I was doing there.

I was equipped with a light sword I borrowed from the smith, promising I'd pay for it when we got back. He grumbled a bit but somehow I managed to convince him. I hoped I wouldn't have to use it too much, mind you. My skill still left much to be desired, but I'd at least be able to deflect a direct hit if it came to that. A very, very, light hit.

"Taking responsibility!" Ezio said firmly, and I smiled to myself, feeling my respect for him grow. "Vieri plagues you because of me!"

Mario seemed taken aback, but one look at my "innocent" expression told him all he needed to know. He chuckled, clearly glad at this turn of events. "Ezio, Vieri assaults us because he's a Templar, and we're assassins."

"It doesn't matter. I wish to help, either way." I leaned onto the wall of the farm house, looking up at the city walls skeptically.

"And I guess I'm here for comic relief. I know _I'll _be laughing if your nephew falls off a building or something."

This time, no one started glaring at me for that comment, but took it in good humor for once. The closest mercenaries snorted, Mario looked vaguely amused and I saw Ezio's lips twitch slightly. I nodded to myself in satisfaction. At least the morale was higher than a speed bump. Not by much. And I think a few of these men were drunk, but hey, whatever helps, right?

I was actually starting to regret not getting drunk before I agreed to come here…well, not that anyone was really begging me to. But I was not going to deal with Claudia unscrewing my head for sending off her brother to siege a city on his own.

"Seriously though, what's the plan?" I raised an eyebrow, "The walls seem pretty high and the gates are closed, most likely. Or are they open?" You never know, someone might just be crazy or cocky enough to leave them open and without guards when they were openly provoking the neighboring town.

"They're closed," Mario confirmed. "I'm glad you two showed up. See that spot over there?" he pointed at a place in the wall where crates were stacked up. The wall was lower here, the top chipped and destroyed. "You can easily climb up there. There are a few archer guards. But once you take care of them, opening the gate will be easy."

"Sounds like a plan then." Ezio nodded.

"Um- Messer Mario?" It was one of the mercenaries that spoke, surprising me with a shy voice- he was pretty... well, intimidating. "What of the woman? Shouldn't she stay here, where it's safe? I mean, there will be fighting inside and-"

I humphed, turning around on the man. "While your concern is…touching," I gritted, "Implying that I can't take care of myself _just because _I'm a woman is rather irritating," I snorted. Hopefully no one was going to call on the bluff- the man was huge.

The mercenary stared at me for a second. "_Signorina,"_ he softly said, "I just don't wish you hurt. Fighting can be ugly, bloody and foul-"

"I'm here, ain't I?" I crossed my arms, "That means I'm pretty confident about this plan-"

"Eden, that's enough," Mario stopped me. Somewhat reluctantly, I stepped away from the man. I glared into the crowd, but didn't do anything, coming to stand by Mario and Ezio again. They were both looking at me in a strange way.

"Well, what did you expect me to do? Stand aside and let the big men handle it?" I snorted. "Not happening."

"No, it's just that the morale is pretty low already. And being berated by a woman might put a damper on their day," Mario shrugged, giving me a reproachful look. I bit my lip, refusing to feel guilty. I guess when a woman had more faith in a siege than they did, something was wrong.

"He started it." It came out a lot more childishly than it sounded in my head for some unthinkable reason.

Mario shook his head and looked away towards the walls again. "You'll go with Ezio. I saw you climbing onto the roof of the villa two days ago, I think you can make that jump."

_Or you just want to separate me from your men so no more egos won't get crushed, you old fart,_ I affectionately thought, surprising even myself. At least I wouldn't have to join in on the actual fighting until later, if at all.

"Yeah, sure. Though if someone wants to give me a lift, I'll appreciate it." I looked down at my hands, clenching and unclenching them. I finally got tired of climbing with my bare hands after I got an least a dozen splinters from one of the frames on the said villa. After cursing as I removed every one of them (the doctor refused to help me after the little incident a few days ago, unless I was fatally wounded and dying.), I decided to screw it, borrowed some money, and bought myself a pair of sturdy gloves. Mine were left in my apartment back in New York and I was obviously not going to get them back.

"Well, if everyone's ready, let's do this. And Ezio," Mario gave the young assassin a belt with thin handles of throwing knives sticking out of the little pockets. "Here, you can use them to dispatch the archers."

I almost sighed with relief. I didn't like letting my own knifes go as it is, and those archers were generally out of my reach. At least now he could waste his weapons all he wanted.

The mercenaries, led by Ezio's suicidal uncle, were now running towards the gates with menacing battle cries. God, some people can really scream. I grimaced, resisting the urge to put my hands around my ears. With a glance at Ezio, I ran to the stacked crates, lightly pushing off of them. The edge was much easier to grip than I thought, though I nearly fell as the bricks crumbled a bit. But I managed pull myself up. The boy got up a few seconds after me. We could now hear the clanging of metal against metal as our side clashed with Vieri's.

"There's one on the walls," he whispered, and I nodded, just noting the back of the guard that was walking along the ramparts. How the hell did he not see us climb up here? Though I already noticed that these guards were so intent on being vigilant that they didn't even realize if you slipped right behind them. Even if you maybe pick pocketed their money in the process.

The guard collapsed noisily onto the stone walkway, and I took my knife out of his throat, cleaning it off on his sleeve. It would be so much easier to just use my gun. But I couldn't- they weren't even invented yet and it would raise questions I didn't want to answer. I sniped down some of Ezio's pursuers back in Florence, but I did it because no one was around. I admit that I didn't want to try and explain to Maria that the only son she had left had died because he didn't notice the one archer I missed when taking down the guard.

I heard the gate opening and cheers erupting. I wondered whose side was winning, but I guessed ours. Leaning over the wall, I watched as Mario's men poured in. Ezio must have opened the gates, then. Now, how was I getting down?

I took a sharp breath. Their insanity must be contagious or something, because I dropped my bag down and climbed over the edge of the wall, carefully beginning to climb down the huge banner. I must be either insane or just plain stupid, because the banner slowly began to slip out of my grasp, and I suddenly couldn't find any ledges to take hold of. Shutting my eyes tightly, I tried not to think about the few meters left to the ground and let go.

A short fall and then it was over as soon as it started. I felt strong hands under me, and let out a breath of relief, opening my eyes meaning to thank the man. Until my jaw fell open with shock.

"You're welcome," Ezio grumbled setting my down. I bit my lip to stop laughter. Damn karma. What did I do in the past life to deserve this? "Next time you decide to fall on me with a heavy bag, I'll just let you hit the ground."

"Well, now, aren't you the gentleman? Now come on, or all the good guards will be taken." I picked up my bag and waved my hand, gesturing him to follow.

"No gratitude," he sighed tragically, falling into a run beside me.

"Thank you," I fleetingly grinned, and he opened his mouth as if about to say something. But then he shut it again, just shrugged and continued running.

What, did I kill someone? I did that in this life, too. Did I mass murder some sort of village? Probably getting closer...

"Ezio... Mario is under attack, he needs your help..." I dropped down beside the mercenary who was leaning heavily onto the well in the middle of the plaza. Bodies littered the stone tiles around him.

"Alright, let me see..." I forcefully moved his hand away from the stab wound. "Hm, well, just how much did you like your kidneys?"

"Will he be alright?" I felt a hand on my shoulder and I swatted it away.

"Go catch up with Mario, I'll do what I can," He didn't move as I got out the first aid kit from my bag."GO!" I growled.

The wound was deep and it was bleeding out fast. The man seemed to be alive only out of willpower. I licked my lips nervously and with some panic when I realized that there was nothing I could do- the wound was too deep and too wide. His organs probably already rearranged themselves, too. The man was dying, and fast.

Dammit it all.

* * *

"Ah, Ezio! You're right on time!" Mario said cheerfully, dodging under a guard's blade and driving his own into his gut, jerking it up and pulling out in a swift motion. "Where's Eden?"

"She's- she's taking care of one of your men," he shrugged, stabbing a random opponent in the back while he was distracted by one of the mercenaries.

"And you left her? Alone?" Mario seemed alarmed for some reason.

"She can take care of herself," he growled. What was he, her keeper?

"And how do you know that she's not-"

"Working for Vieri? You think I'm insane enough to do that?" A familiar voice sounded and another blade joined the battle.

Ezio had to admit he knew where his Uncle was coming from. The girl showed up out of nowhere, and all this listening at keyholes business...she could have easily been a spy, her tattoo just a cover up story. Even though Mario seemed to like her, he still didn't trust her completely. Neither did Paola, as she told him before she left. But she thought it would be better if she was within Ezio's sight.

"What of-"

"Dead."

"Ah."

Ezio noticed that she didn't enter in open combat, preferring to sneak up on the enemies from behind and slitting their throats with her dagger, only using the longer blade to block stray hits. Very clumsily, too, but she managed to stay alive. There was also a distant, stony look on her face as the blood sprayed everywhere. Did she actually feel bad that the man died? It wasn't her fault though. They arrived too late to do anything. And yet, she-

"By the way, the bad guys are having a meeting." she suddenly called out,"Apparently the chief villain showed up and Vieri doesn't even know we're attacking."

"What?" Mario yelled through the battle, "How did you know that?"

Ezio glanced at her to find one of those blood-chilling smirks of hers. "When the guard didn't talk, I got a little... carried away."

"Where are they, then?" Ezio dispatched his current opponent and neared her. She dodged a blow quickly and sunk one of her daggers into the man's leg, making him fall with a scream.

"Lying somewhere in that ditch... Oh, the little ring of villains? By the castle." Her voice was light as usual, but there was no hint of laughter in her eyes now. It was... different from her usual playful exterior. Ezio was not sure if it was for the better or for the worse.

She stabbed the guard on the ground, finishing him off, and pulled Ezio's elbow in the direction of the castle. He looked back to his uncle and followed the girl once he saw him nod.

"You know what?" she said thoughtfully, her breathing slightly faster and shallow from the running and fighting.

"What?"

"Once this is over, I'm going to find myself a bar and drown myself in the sweet salvation that is alcohol." As they ran, he stared at her for a second, and then couldn't help but smirk as well.

"Of all the things to be thinking right now..."

"Well, what would you rather me do?" She raised an eyebrow, stopping suddenly. "Cry my eyes out?"

"No." He stopped too, following her onto the roofs. "Just out of curiosity, do you have tear ducts?"

"Of course," she shrugged, "They're just all dried up from little use."

"I should have known."

"But you didn't."

"But I should have."

"But you-" she suddenly stopped. "There they are!"

She sneaked closer, stepping on the roof lightly and lying down so they wouldn't see her. He followed her example and perked his ears. There were five men forming where they stopped in front of the gates.

"-and what of that fool, Mario Auditore? He's still being a nuisance." It was de'Pazzi Junior talking, his fists clenched.

"Can you hear anything?" Eden whispered, and Ezio nodded. There was a look of disbelief on her face, but she didn't say anything.

"He was always trouble. Just like that brother of his."

"Then let me reunite them, Father!"

"That's enough. We'll take care of the trash once our plan is complete. Francesco, what progress in Florence?" the man in dark robes with a hood over his head spoke. Everyone immediately fell silent.

_So this is the "chief villain" Eden mentioned?_ Ezio thought to himself.

"It'll be done."

"Good. We must go now. And Vieri, don't disappoint."

"Of course not, Maestro."

"May the Father of Understanding guide us," they chanted as they began moving again, separating.

They were just about to leave through the gates again when a stray guard suddenly caught up with them. "What is it now?" Vieri snarled, clearly not pleased with the way the conversation went.

"Mario Auditore is attacking the city, he's coming for you!"

"Then let's not keep him waiting," Vieri smiled smugly, waving his hand and drawing two other guards with him.

As if right on cue, Mario's men came to the scene, engaging the last remainder of the guards that were standing in lines, blocking the streets.

"Alright, my little assassin, what the hell just happened? I couldn't hear anything," Eden asked. He told her, and she seemed confused for a moment.

"So... you go deal with Vieri, and I'll help out your Uncle?" Eden seemed uncertain for some reason. She looked at the fighting with a sour look, it was plain she'd rather just lie here until all of it was over.

He was suddenly glad she said that - he wanted to kill Vieri himself after all that happened. Did she know that? He couldn't see her face clearly in the darkness as she started climbing down the walls, but decided she just didn't want to bother. He didn't go after her, instead jumping onto the neighboring roof. Then from there, he silently moved onto the stairs leading to the parapet that Vieri disappeared into with two guards.

* * *

"Where's Ezio?" Mario asked as I cleaned the thin blade of my knife on the nearest body's coat. I furrowed my brows together. The battle lasted maybe two minutes, the mercenaries overwhelming the city guards with ease.

"He's taking care of Vieri."

"Where?"

"Tower?" I threw my head back to look at the giant parapet. "Yes, I think so."

"Hm."

"Yep," I nodded with a sigh, straightening. I lost two of my knives in the battle, which was sad. I liked them. It was no use trying to find them now around this grave yard.

* * *

"Oh, I'm sorry..." Vieri coughed as Ezio's hands clenched on his ribs, "Were you hoping for a confession?"

That was the last straw for the young assassin. All that anger he had at his father's killers, at his father for keeping everything away from him, at his uncle Mario, at Eden, and the god damned world, and most of all, at Vieri came spilling out, like a dam breaking under the pressure of the water.

* * *

"I think he's okay," I smiled, hearing the very loud swearing. He was not in sight yet, but his voice carried. But at least he was alive and well. "Ouch, he's really pissed."

Mario was not amused though, hurrying to pull himself up onto the tower's edge. He tore Ezio away from the corpse, the boy still shaking with rage. Oh dear, any more and he'll start crying... I frowned, unsure how to act. This situation seemed very familiar, though... Wasn't this how I reacted when my mother died? Went on a warpath, hunting down the ones responsible for her death, kicking and screaming at their dead bodies, blaming them for everything that went wrong in the short two weeks?

I also got very hurt in the process, so maybe someone should stop him before he goes the same path. Mario seemed to be on it.

"Stop it, Ezio. Have some respect."

"Respect?" I sat on the teeth of the wall, watching the scene as Mario closed Vieri's eyes. I looked at the corpse with distaste, still remembering the comment he made about me when we first met. According to, well, a lot of people, he was not very nice. I don't know exactly why Ezio was so eager to kill him, but it must have been a good reason.

I suddenly realized I barely knew anything about what was going on. Mario and Ezio mentioned some sort of list of names a few times, but that was as far as I got. I'd ask the assassin (either of them) once we got out of here.

"And you think that he would have shown us the same?"

"You are not Vieri," Mario said sternly, his good eye glaring, "Do not become him."

That seemed to shut Ezio up, though he was still livid nearly shaking with rage.

Unsure of what else to do and trying to cover up the tension, I ventured over to them. "Why so grim, my little assassin?" I asked with exaggerated cheerfulness despite suddenly feeling exhausted "The siege was a success! That pig in noble's clothes is dead! You should be barfing rainbows from happiness now!"

He looked at me sourly, the murderous glint in his eyes causing me to come a standstill, though I refused to look away.

"What? No?" I tiredly said, "Fine, either way, let's get out of this dump." He turned around and followed Mario off the tower. "Seriously," I continued, still attempting to cut through the tension with a knife of banter, "Cheer up! Look, do you want a hug or something?"

"Not from you, that's for sure," he grit, his encounter with Vieri obviously still fresh. Not that I blamed him. "You have thorns," he growled.

"What do you think I am, a rose?"

"I was thinking more along the lines of a fly trap..."

"That hurts. I hate flies."

"Really? So we rule out frogs too. So what exactly are you, then?"

"Oh, you know, nothing grand. A venomous bear or something."

"Well, you definitely have the weight of one. OW!" he replied to my light punch to his arm. Thankfully, the distraction seemed to be working. Dwelling on that asshole Vieri couldn't be an option. For him to be consumed by such hate would do him no good. It's best to stop it before it gets out of hand, and I'm speaking from experience.

"That's for being a douchebag!"

"A what now?"

I told him.

He was speechless. And probably scarred for life now, though his mood lifted a bit more, at least.

Mission accomplished.


	8. Chapter 7

Note: In the game, two years passed when Ezio returned to Florence. For the sake of this plot, it was only a few weeks. Just a heads up to clear any confusion.

Another note, I did a little research, and it seems like I'm not only bending the time line of the game, I'm also changing history here. The Pazzi conspiracy was in 1479, as well as the murders of those conspirators. So... just bear with me, I suppose.

* * *

"I see you wasted no time starting the celebration!" Ezio cheerfully declared, approaching his uncle and a band of his man, all with tankards in their hands aand laughing at something. His mood lifting considerably, he had time to cool off.

The entire village was lit up in lights, wine flowing and the tavern that could be seen from here filled with people. Everything was just so happy that it was impossible to stay mad at anyone right now. That's why Vieri, Rodrigo and the conspirators flew out of his mind rather quickly.

"And why not?" Mario asked, laughing. How much did he have already, anyway? "You have done a great thing today, _nipote_! Vieri's dead, you know what that means?"

"No more work!" One of the men raised his tankard, and everyone cheered. "We can just sit back and drink now!"

"With whores!" Another said. There was a stunned silence. "Well what? It's true!"

Another wave of laughter.

"Go on, Ezio! Enjoy yourself!" Mario clapped him on the back so hard he almost tumbled forward.

"Thanks, Uncle, I think I will." He caught sight of a pretty girl trotting along the street, heading to the pub. Mario followed his eyes, and roared with laughter.

"That's your idea of fun? Think bigger, nephew!" he chuckled. "You know, and you might want to check up on Eden. She's already yelling songs with half the men in the tavern!"

"What? We just arrived!" Ezio looked at his uncle, bewildered. He shrugged.

"What can I say? The woman moves fast."

"I can tell!"

"She just asked to show her the tavern, and then she flew on her way."

"And you let her?" _If she was insane without alcohol... oh Good Lord..._

"Why not?"

"She'll massacre the entire town!"

* * *

Woo alcohol!

What? Oh, right, hi. I'm blissfully drunk at the moment, which I praise all the gods for- I've been waiting to get my head cleared for sometime now.

I stared at the man that just started banging his head against the table, and then poured myself another tankard.

It's a good night.

* * *

"Holy- That must be, like, her tenth now!"

"Lay off the drink! It's only her second."

Ezio moved through the crowd towards the center of attention- Eden. The woman was sitting on the table, her legs crossed. The man beside her was lying in a puddle of his own drool now, and she, seemingly thoughtful, looked at the tankard in her hands. When he came up to her, she lifted her head, and he was surprised to see a content, blissful expression on her face.

"Ah! There- _you-_ are!" she cheered, a lazy smile on her face, "You're missing all zhe fun!"

"What the hell are you doing?" He asked. She stared at him for a second, childishly confused, then looking down at the beer and then back to him.

"I think... I'm getting drunk. Right?"

"Well, I can see that far!" he ran a hand through his hair, as another smile spread on her face and she took a long drink. "Why are you getting drunk though?"

"Because... because..." she slurred, her eyes going slightly unfocused as she thought about it. "Ah! Right! Vi- Ver- that one guy died! And cause there's... beer!"

"God, how many did you have?"

"God didn't have any," she giggled, "And you know what? Tha's prob'ly the problem! He didn't drink and he made- he made... us." She suddenly focused on him. "You should drink more too, ya know. You're no- fun otheri... othe... otherwise!"

There was a wave of "oooh"s in the drunk crowd. Someone began to take off their pants. Somewhere behind the crowd, a fight broke out.

"Maybe you've had enough for now." She glared at him but then smiled again, as if remembering something. After a few sloppy attempts, she pulled him closer to her by grabbing the front of his belt, making him lean down. He caught the strong smell of alcohol on her breath, her short hair brushing his cheek as she whispered into his ear. "You know, I prob'ly wouldn't mind if you took ad-hic-vantage of me right- now."

"Wha-?" he stared at her hair, bewildered as she giggled.

"Come on, you're a man, I'm... a woman. Things add up, no? Or subtr- sub... subtract?"

"No, I'm Ezio, and you're Eden…and you're drunk." Obviously so- did she not know that this stuff can kill her pretty quickly? Second tankard... Good God, no wonder she was talking nonsense.

"So?" her voice was low and seductive. "Don't tell me yo've ne'er slept with a drunk girl before. I heard girls get..." her lips grazed his ear, her breath sending inexplicable shivers down his spine, "Wild."

A blush spread on his cheeks, though he tried to fight it off. Suddenly, she threw her head and laughed, and there was a collective groan in the crowd.

"I think... everyone here owes me ten... or fife... or twe'ny.. florins!" she said cheerfully, hopping off the table and thrusting her tankard at him, "They thought- that I, I... I couldn't make you blush. So -hic- naive!"

With that, she skipped into the crowd, almost falling a few times in the process and running into someone on her way, leaving him bewildered. Absently, he brought the tankard she pushed into his arms to his lips and took a drink. It wasn't all that bad. Florence had better, though.

After a second, his only response was still, "What?"

He thought about it for a second, and then decided he was just insulted in some way. But he didn't feel like trying to figure out how, and just took another drink.

* * *

~_"I'll be alright."_

_"You always say that."_

_"And I always come back, don't I?"_

_"I'm scared." I buried my head in his chest, feeling safer in his arms than ever. I couldn't imagine how I would survive without them, how I lived through the separation so far._

_"Don't be. I lo-"_

_"Don't. You'll say it when you get back."_

_A low chuckle and he hugged me tighter for a moment._

_"I will. Don't you worry."_

_But he didn't. And I regretted stopping him every time I looked at his picture. Soon I also regretted taking the frame and flinging it out of the window. A stab in the chest at first, but the pain dulled in my routine. Running, drinking, stealing, killing._

_I realized that I could live without him. Painfully, numbly. And then even that went away. The alcohol never filled the hole, though, but it didn't stop me from trying…~

* * *

_

I groaned as I moved down the stairs into the dining room. The only reminder of last night was a raging hangover. As I fell into my usual spot, I was greeted by Claudia, who looked at me reproachfully. Aside from her, only Maria was present, munching on crackers. The two men that were involved in the party last night were nowhere to be seen.

"You know, you shouldn't have indulged so much," she said sternly. I rolled my eyes, immediately wincing. Okay, no. Rolling my eyes was bad. "Ale and all that noise, it's for men!"

"And I'm a woman that looks like a man," I snapped.

"No you don't! You probably clean up pretty well, but you refuse to wear dresses and skirts!"

"Spare me the lecture. You're starting to sound like my mother." I waved it off and asked Lisa for some beer. She nodded and disappeared into the kitchen. I caught Claudia's glare, and explained, "What? It's for medical purposes."

"Sure," she snorted, and immediately covered her mouth at the noise. Oh, those nobles.

"But you know..." I continued, somewhat slyly. I already got over what happened this morning. "Waking up beside an attractive man I'm sure is called Lars, fully clothed and with no recollection of how either of us got there was pretty funny."

She gasped. "You didn't!"

"No, I didn't." I sighed, "And a good thing, too, because the first thing he said when I woke him up was "Oh, god, how drunk was I last night?"

"Oh God!" Claudia choked on her food, clearing her throat quickly. "You didn't push him out of a window, did you?"

"No, though I sort of wish I did," I frowned. "Nah, just slapped him a few times, and while he was recovering, gave him a friendly push towards the door. Down the stairs."

"He deserved that! Saying that to a woman!" she seethed. "I'm glad Ezio made my previous suitor, Duccio, suffer for cheating on me- it's a disgrace."

"I don't mind," I shrugged. "Trust me, not the first time I heard someone say that. A few slaps later, it actually seems pretty funny."

"But that's... Do you have no respect for yourself?" She suddenly seemed angry and I raised an eyebrow in confusion. It took me a few moments to realize what was going on. At this point in history, women were probably treated like fragile crystal. There for display, but never for use other than child birth. I couldn't think of a metaphor for that. Insulting a noble and maybe middle class woman was like dumping... ahem, let's say paint over a masterpiece. I didn't understand the philosophy too much. But it seemed like the ladies here enjoyed the care.

"I-" I suddenly couldn't find anything to say. "I just don't mind," I repeated. _Oh, yes, the wonders of sarcasm. What else will your clever mind yield? _"I don't dwell on those things."

"This Lars is a disrespectful pig!"

I honestly didn't think she'd react this way. It hurt for a little when he said it, and I got a little angry, defensive and slap-happy. But I got over it fast. Besides, it hurt too much to think on it this early in the morning with a hangover.

"Please stop shouting, my ears already feel like they're going to fall off at any point!" I begged.

"And that's what you get!" she repeated. Thankfully, we sat in silence for a little bit. "What else did you do last night?" she asked, and I could see that she still tried to look stern. But her curiosity was getting the upper hand. I took the jug of beer from Lisa, thanking her.

"From what I remember, I picked a fight that involved a lot of random fist waving and drunk taunting, narrowly won, and then decided to celebrate by climbing onto the roof of the tavern. I don't remember what I yelled from there though."

"I think it was "Look at me, I'm the Queen of Bunnies and Other Furry Insects," she giggled at the memory, "I heard you in the villa."

"Ah," I said thoughtfully. "Strange. I don't remember bunnies being furry insects. When did that happen?"

"Probably around the time you thought that ale looked better dumped on someone's head," Ezio called out behind me as he walked into the room. Giving Claudia and Maria a peck on the cheek, he sat down, holding his head. I sympathetically pushed the jug of beer in his direction- my hang over was already dealt with. He nodded in thanks. "That man did not seem amused, though."

"I can't imagine why."

"Eden?' he asked, "Why is there a man by the name of Larsono at the doors, banging on them and yelling for you?"

"He is?" I tapped my chin in thought.

"Yes. He also asked how much you were paying me when I asked what his problem was."

"And what did you do?"

"Nothing. Just slammed the door of his hand."

"Hm, I didn't think he'd be that persistent," I hummed thoughtfully, "I hope we didn't get hitched last night. We don't want a repeat of last time."

Ezio spluttered, nearly spraying the beer all over the table. "What?"

"Careful, that's valuable alcohol you're wasting!" I exclaimed, "And yeah, there was this one night where me and Jake decided it would be very funny to get drunk and then get married in the church that was around the corner from the bar. I think the man that wed us was a very nice chap by the name of... Harry? Harold? Something like that. Along the way, Jake also proclaimed his undying love to me, trying to get through a sentence without breaking into laughter, while I sang the wedding march so badly the entire street plugged their ears. It was chaos. Larry would have had our heads if he could stop laughing for long enough."

"You got married? In a church?"

"I was drunk," I reminded them. _Hey, at least it was with a friend, and not some stranger!_ "And we got an annulment easily enough. Ironically, the court wasn't far from the church, either." I paused for a breath, chuckling lightly. "The three infamous stations of the Marriage Train. "The Bar of Reason", the church of "It's True Love, Honestly", and then, the court of "I Didn't Realize She Was That Ugly". If you really try, you can go through all three in just one night, something Jake and I proved."

A rather late thought, but could people get divorced at this point in history? If not, then I was in deep problems. Then again, I could always kill Lars...

The two siblings stared at me like I came from another planet. "Anyway. Back to Lars." I said, biting my lip so I wouldn't laugh at their stunned faces and dropped jaws.

It was Claudia that spoke first. "Ezio, the man insulted her after possibly marrying her, and now he's looking for her! You should do something!"

"Excuse me! I can take care of myself," I waved my hands in front of my face in a somewhat panicky gesture. "And I don't need anyone defending my honor, though I doubt he would have even tried in the first place."

"I'm not implying that you can't do it yourself, but it's so much more romantic this-" she broke off, as me and Ezio stared at _her_ with our jaws dropped. "What?"

I closed my eyes leaning back onto the chair. "Claudia, who ever told you that I wanted this situation to be _romantic_, of all things? I'm going to kick them where the sun don't shine."

She giggled. And I smiled to myself, feeling the hang over slowly go away. Romantic... oh, those nobles...

* * *

Ezio pulled the reigns, turning the horse to the side and stopping. He glared up at the villa that was a dark spot on the blue sky in the distance. He left with barely a word goodbye to Mario, collecting his father's gear and his weapons, riding off at the crack of dawn.

He'd come back, here, he was sure of it. After his business in Firenze was done, he'd come here to talk to his uncle and figure out what was going to happen next. He already accepted the fact that his father was an assassin, and after Vieri's death, he decided to embrace his heritage. Who knew? He might even come to enjoy the killing, like Eden.

_Eden_. He thought of the name bitterly. Though Mario asked him to bring her along. Probably for the fact that she was slowly giving half the town motivation to take up pitchforks and burn her at the stake. But he refused outright. He could do this on his own without her chewing his ear off. She could stay here, or go in any direction she wanted.

He was willing to admit that sometimes she amused him And he grew used to her insults and threats. And she was generally helpful and didn't need him to make sure she was still okay every moment during battle, but...

His thoughts were interrupted by a silhouette in the distance. He watched expressionlessly as the figure evolved into a woman riding on a horse, a long cloak draped her shoulders. Soon, he could see her smirk, as well.

He turned his horse towards Firenze again as she lined up with him.

"What are you doing here?"

"Did you actually think I'd let you ride off on your own?" She was smiling, he could tell by her voice. He didn't look at her face. "Claudia would have my head and parade it around town if that happened. I swear, she seems nice and harmless, but I still haven't forgotten what happened when I tripped over one of her shoes." He saw her move her hand to her ear subconsciously.

"She'll live."

"I won't."

"So?"

She ignored the hint. "Besides, I'm going to visit my good friend Leonardo."

"Of course you are." He paused. "Did you deal with Lars yet?"

"Pfft," she snorted. "He wasn't even a one night stand, really. The kick I gave him down the stairs said everything I had to say to him."

"You seemed to like him. Before that, I mean."

"I'd like to remind you that I was very drunk. I'd find a goat attractive. And to be perfectly honest, Lars reminded me of my last boyfriend, I think. The similarities are uncanny," she corrected him. He was admittedly confused_ Then she- what?_ "I don't even remember most of what happened last night, just the most memorable moments." She was laughing at again. Then she shook her head. "Queen of Bunnies. Oh god, the villagers were not ready for this..."

He thought back on the little bet she made with most of the people in the tavern. She didn't even remember that bit, did she? He sighed, a strange feeling of hurt growing. She didn't even think of him as man, then.

_And do you really think of her as a woman? _There was that snide voice in him again, _Or is this about the fact that you actually _do_ think of her that way?_

Impossible. This was Eden he was talking about. Lust was all a man could ever feel for her. And only when she kept the lights off and her mouth shut. _Like the closet, for example?_

She heard his previous sigh, suddenly gawking at him.

"Oh my God!"

"What?" he looked around to her, startled, expecting at least a small army on their tail. She was staring at him with huge eyes.

"You're jealous!"

"What?"

"How did I not see this before? Oh sweet Jesus, you like Lars!"

"What? No, Eden, I don't-"

"Oh, no, don't mind me! Step out of the closet and into the light!" He glared at her, though shocked to find an actually amused, sincere smile on her face. He quickly realized she was just trying to lighten up the tense situation.

He sighed heavily again. This was going to be a long trip.

* * *

"Ezio! You're alive!" Leonardo crushed the said victim into a hug, and I shook with silent laughter.

"Isn't that a lovely greeting?" I beamed at the painter as he turned his attention to me, returned my smile. "Hey Leo."

"Eden, a pleasure to see you again!"

"Seems like the few weeks were not too hard on you, my friend." Ezio looked around. The workshop was nearly the exact same way as we seen it last- dusty, cluttered, but welcoming.

"Oh, no," Leo waved it off, "The guard generally ignore me around here. They didn't send anyone after that little episode." He absently rubbed his ribs. "But anyway, what can I help you with, my friends?"

Ezio handed him another one of those ancient scrolls that I remember he took off Vieri's body. "Ah! You've found another one! How exciting!"

I shifted my eyebrows in curiosity. What were those documents? Leonardo had one of those when he was fixing the hidden blade, but I never got around to asking about it. I pulled on Ezio's sleeve. "What are they?"

"What? Oh, those are codex pages, apparently written by some ancestor of mine," he shruggedm "Uncle told me about them."

"Oh."

"And here's something I found... interesting," he smirked, "Altair held a Piece of Eden in his hands."

"What? Me? Cause I'm pretty sure I'm all whole," I sarcastically said. Obviously not me. Who the hell is Altair? This ancestor?

"No, they're artifacts, actually. Like the Apple."

"But Eden never existed."

"Perhaps it did," he shrugged, looking over Leo's shoulder. The inventor looked up at us with a slightly confused look on his face. "You are not a very religious person."

"No, I'm not, and for good reasons."

"Hm. This doesn't seem to be a design, but assassination techniques. It's just a series of sketches here."

I looked over his other shoulder. "I guess your grand father wasn't a very talented artist. What the hell is that?"

"I think it's a hay stack."

"Really? Because it looks like a pile of cra-"

"Either way," he interrupted me, though I saw his mouth twitch in a smile, "I think I should practice those."

"What, you're going to stab people from carts full of tards?" I looked at him bewildered. Leo choked on laughter, and I tried to keep my face straight and shocked.

"Yes, Eden. I shall jump out of people out of carts full of crap. Because I'm such a good assassin."

"Well, it'll definitely be a shock, at least." My cheeks were starting to hurt slightly. "Though I'm pretty sure the smell will tip them off. And you won't find many carts full of crap around the city."

"Then we'll just have to settle for hay stacks," he sighed, clearly crushed. Leo was on the floor, funny noises were heard from under the table. I tried to reply, but suddenly found myself unable to breathe through the giant wave of giggling and laughter as I pictured the flustered assassin jumping out on passing guards out of carts of feces. Looking at all of this, Ezio slowly began to laugh as well, leaning onto the table for support, his entire frame shuddering violently.

It took us a full five minutes to settle down again. "Either way," Leo was still giggling slightly, and I leaned my cheek on my folded hand- I was still sitting on the floor, leaning on the table. "There's also something here about making another one of the blades I fixed for you. I think I still have the notes from last time..."

"Do you mind making it for me while I practice those techniques?"

"Yes, sure, I'll have my assistant set up a few practice dummies for you outside." He waved Ezio off, now fully in the codex page. I stayed by Leo's side.

"Do you want some help?"

"I actually do." Leo nodded as Ezio left with the assistant that appeared out of nowhere. "Can you please fetch me my tools? They're on that shelf over there."

* * *

"Can I see it for a moment?" Ezio looked at me surprised, but extended his left arm to me, the blade facing up. I picked up one of my own tools, a thin piece of metal, and prodded at the mechanism, cleaning out the dust and dry blood. I still wasn't sure how the blade worked, but I had the general idea. "Okay, extend it." He did so, and I continued working on it, getting into the process.

After a few moments, he finally asked what I was doing. I didn't reply at first, taking hold of the blade and gently pulling it out slightly farther than the mechanism allowed, and then snapped it back. "You know, I once saw a gravestone. On it, it said 'Here lies an unbeatable warrior. His sword got stuck in the sheath.'"

"Okay, I get the hint." He rolled his eyes, and as I took a step away from him, he tried the blade out.

We were still sitting in Leo's house while he went out, telling us to make ourselves at home while he was at the market. I was sitting on the table beside Ezio, looking over the sketches in the codex and making sure everything was in order- the last thing we need is his only advantage breaking down. "Leonardo did an excellent job on them," I said with genuine admiration, "I just want to be safe and make sure it's clean."

"Hmmm. Thank you."

I smiled, wiping my hands and the tool on a rag. "Thank me for not sabotaging it."

"You wouldn't."

"And how do you know that?" I raised an eyebrow, packing my stuff away into the bag that I never let go anymore. He seemed at a loss of what to say, and I nodded in satisfaction. "I could, strictly speaking, make sure that it gets stuck at the most unfortunate moment. Maybe I'm even being paid by the Templars to do so. Mario seemed to think it a plausible theory."

"Uncle likes you."

"It's possible to like someone at the same time as keeping an eye on them. Just in case. And what makes you think he's wrong, anyway?

"Why would you tell me if it was true?"

"Reverse psychology, I think. You think if I told you I was, I couldn't be with the Templars, and it would take suspicion off of me. Besides, I like to keep you on edge," I giggled. "Don't be so sure to trust your friends, my little assassin."

"What about girls that made it their life time goal to drive me insane? Can I trust those?" I looked at him, suddenly all humor gone.

"Sometimes those girls are the only one you can trust," I said seriously, "Anyway. Where are we going next?"

He stared at the wall thoughtfully. I looked at it too, just to make sure there wasn't some map that had a laid out route for us. There wasn't one, much to my dismay.

"Leonardo mentioned Le Volpe, the fox."

"I heard. Who is this guy?"

"I'm not sure, but I think he's somewhat of a leader of the thieves around Florence."

"Thus the name." I stood up and stretching my muscles. Hours on a horse can do very very bad things to your body. "Where do we find him?"

"He usually finds people himself," he shrugged, and I groaned.

"So there's no fixed place we can find him in? That just sucks. It can't ever be easy, can it."

"Nope. This is life, dear Eden."

"No, this is the life of an assassin," I grumbled, "My life at home was a bit more simple than that. Kill or die, and it doesn't matter who."

"If it was so much easier, then why were you so eager to get away from it?"

"That's-" I stared at him. I don't remember ever talking to him about this, and I immediately felt my temper rise, "That's none of your damned business!"

He didn't reply, just staring at me intently. I fumed, "If you must know, it was a ball and chain, even after I had no reason to stick around! If a stranger suddenly passed me the key, I was more than happy to use it! My sister ditched me a few years after I joined the stupid gang, saying that I was the idiot for thinking I could pull it off. And I had no one left there anyway!"

"So you ran."

"No I didn't," I snapped, "Not in that way, no. Not intentionally."

"Then what happened? What was that key?" He actually seemed curious, and I stopped dead. Tell him? I mean, he'd probably mark me insane if he hasn't done so yet, but...

I wouldn't lie, the Chaos Theory had crossed my mind a few times, even through the excitement that it was to finally get out of my chains and into the open space. That something I did would trigger a chain reaction and alter the future. But then suddenly, a thousand excuses came to mind. Such as, I was already here, with no intention of going back and I probably changed the future the minute I arrived, most likely by something I don't even know about. Like, a brick that fell from the wall because I jumped onto it landed on some poor guys head, and that guy was actually supposed to be the father of some other guy that played an important part in history. Something weird and twisted like that that made my brain hurt when I thought about it too hard.

I debated internally whether or not it was safe to tell Ezio my thought process. I mean, it' wasn't like I listened much in history class, anyway- I mainly focused on mechanical science and math. I liked fixing things, but there was little I knew outside of that. I definitely didn't know how much of the past I could tell them. And even if I could, I wouldn't.

I sighed and decided that it couldn't get any worse, only better.

"Do you remember last time we were here, I said I was from the future, and that I appeared here out of nowhere?" There was a confused silence, before I continued. "I wasn't kidding…"


	9. Chapter 8

"I'll hand it to you, Eden." he said slowly, "Out of all the jokes you come up with that's your most insane one yet."

I sighed, expecting this. "Okay, what about the clothes I was originally wearing, or my my hair." I was referring to the fact that I cropped the back of my hair short, while the front locks were down to my chin.

"I admit, you won't find any clothes like yours around Florence, but that's no proof," He crossed his arms. "There are plenty female thieves that are dressed in male clothing with short hair."

"That's fair. Here, then." I took out my cell phone from one of the inside pockets of my jacket (the cloak was lying on the back of one of the chairs). I turned it on, and I saw him flinch slightly as it lit up.

"What is that?" He looked curious, though still skeptical.

"A..." I searched for words. "It's a phone. Like a communication device. Hundred times faster than mail. I can talk to other people with these through it, even on the other side of the world."

"Then why don't you use it?"

"Because no one in this time has one," I shrugged, "It's a thing from the future, it's not even invented yet."

I could plainly see he still didn't believe me. "Okay, that... thing is definitely not from here, but time travel is still impossible."

"That's what I thought, too," I explained, putting the cellphone away. "Fine. Still don't believe me? You see that convenient empty can on the window there?" I pointed at the said can that stood on the ledge of the window on the stairs, almost behind the corner. I looked through my bag, and took out the small hand gun, made sure it was loaded, aimed, and shot.

Well, needless to say, there was a violent reaction with the can. It bounced off the wall, onto the stairs, and rolled to my feet. I picked it up to show his the bullet hole. He stared at me, speechless.

"You know when you got rid of that guy, Uberto, when this all started? Ever wonder how I got rid of the archers on the roofs without moving?" I raised an eyebrow, putting the gun on safe lock and putting it away again. He nodded slowly.

"I... wondered that. But..."

"It's like with those Pieces of Eden, they're artifacts, right? And if Eden existed, then all this could be possible too, right?" He nodded again, unsure. "Well, do you believe me now?" I asked, trying not to get frustrated. His shock was understandable. He stared at me, frozen for a few moments, and I stared back. What do you do when someone springs something like that on you? Damn, he was still staring, as if seeing me for the first time. I clicked my fingers in front of his eyes, waving my hand from side to side. "Hey, that doesn't change anything, you know. I'm still the same Eden. I just thought you should know, after... well, everything."

"I think I just... need a second to-" he shook his head, rubbing his forehead, "That's a lot to take in."

"Well, yes, I guess it is. Listen, maybe I shouldn't have said anything," I suddenly said, biting my lip, "You can just go on pretending you don't know any thing about it."

"No, no..." he shook his head. "If you're sure that you... well, time traveled, I'm glad you told me."

"I told you because I know I've not been acting like the women here, and I just think I owe you an explanation to why." I rubbed the back of my neck. "Things are a whole lot different in the future."

"Just give me a moment to think." He shut his eyes tightly, leaning back on the chair.

I nodded, deciding it was best to leave him alone for now to gather his thoughts. Going to the nearest shelf and opening up drawers, I flipped through and examined sketches that were there. Leonardo didn't mind- I think he was flattered.

The sketches were mostly random. Little birds, different trees, people Leo probably saw while outside, buildings. There were a few pages with notes on anatomy, different diagrams of organs and such, some mechanics, theories, models... it was fascinating to look at. I never had the talent and patience for drawing, but I loved looking at other people's work. And to see the early notes of Leonardo da'Vinci... it was exciting, in a way.

Then I can across something that made me stop, my hands freezing on the thick, slightly yellow paper. And then I shifted my eyebrows together in wonder. It was a sketched portrait of a woman with long, probably light hair, and almond shaped eyes, staring from the page with a light, gentle and happy smile on her lips. The corner was labeled "Aria".

I looked into the penciled features of the woman. She looked familiar, though I was sure I've never seen her before. Her smile that lit up her face made me think of my mother. They looked nothing alike and yet were so similar. It was in that one motherly, cheerful, angelic smile I tried so many times to recreate, either in the mirror, and sometimes on paper. All of it was not right though; it wasn't hers, it was all mine. But Leo seemed to recreate it exactly, though from someone else. My heart ached a little, as I was also reminded of my sister, who looked like mother in every way, except for that smile. It was strange how two family members could be so different. And yet two women from different times looked so similar.

There was a movement and the door behind me opened. I looked around to see Leonardo walk in with a box in his hands full of different things, from random food to paint brushes. He set the box down at the table and glanced at Ezio, who was still sitting in the chair, thinking. I guess he had a lot on his mind, considering everything going on… and me dropping a bomb on him.

"Is he alright?"

"I think he's sleeping with his eyes open. Hey, Leo, who is this?" I showed him the drawing, and he squinted.

"That's Aria, a pleasant lady I met at the market one day. She graciously allowed me to draw her portrait, and even let me keep it," he shrugged, unpacking the box. "Will you two be staying for lunch?"

I stared at the food with a sad look, but shook my head. "No, I think it's time we got to the business we came here to do."

"Of course! And remember, my doors are always open should you need it!"

As I left, pulling Ezio after me, no one noticed the piece of paper that was tucked away in one of my countless pockets. I felt bad for stealing it, but somehow, I was afraid to let it go. And I was afraid of asking, in case Leo wouldn't have let me keep it. I'd find a way to repay him later.

We didn't talk for about five minutes as we set out in search of The Fox. I was expecting questions, but there were none, at least not at first. Now, thinking back, I must have sounded insane, saying I was from the future when it was established that it's not possible. I didn't even know how it happened that I just popped out here. In Italy, of all places, and this year, of all times.

The first thing that came out of his mouth surprised me a little. "What year are you from, then?"

"So you believe me?"

"I'm not sure." He was answering honestly, at least. And he didn't tell me to go be crazy somewhere else, so I took it as a good sign.

"Well, it was 2010. Will be. I don't know." I glanced around, making sure no one was listening, though I doubted anyone would take it seriously.

"So more than five hundred years in the future," he concluded. After a second, I nodded. I hadn't thought of that.

"Yes."

"And you know what's going to happen during this time?"

"Dangerous territory, there," I warned, "This is as unnatural as you can get in the first place. And telling you what little I know of history... that would be catastrophic."

"Hm," he hummed. "So there's no way other than that phonie thing to prove it?" He didn't ask about the gun, so I figured that something close was already invented. Just... bigger. Loads bigger. Like a canon. So technically, it wasn't that strange other than the fact that it was so small.

"Phone," I automatically corrected, "And I guess no, there's no way. You'll just have to trust me."

"Hm," he made the noise again.

"Listen, I know I sound insane. And it's... well, very hard to believe. But why would I lie about something like this?"

He seemed to actually think about that. "I don't know." I crossed my arms, not sure how to continue this conversation anymore.

"Well, just please don't tell anyone. People would think I'm a witch or something. And frankly, I rather like not being burned alive at the stake." The corner of his mouth barely pulled up, but he didn't reply. We continued to walk through the city, now in silence.

Soon, we entered a small market and stopped at the arches, out of sight from the guards.

"What does this Fox look like?" I asked, watching the stampede of thieves run away from the group of guards, waving their swords in the air in a menacing fashion, though to me they looked extremely stupid. He shrugged.

"Last seen wearing bronze robes with a hood. That's all I can offer. I'll know him if I see him, though."

"Fine, then, you do that." I nodded and detached myself from the wall.

"Wait, where are you going?" I paused, looking over my shoulder.

"Shopping. When you're done, meet me by that lovely little fountain over there."

"What-"

I turned around to him again, readjusting the strap on my bag so it now crossed over my chest. Just in case. "You didn't want me along in the first place. Besides, if this guy is a thief or something, it'll be harder to catch him with me. So you go do your investigation thing, and I'll go do my girl thing for once. I've been meaning to visit the tailor anyway, and there's none in Monteriggony. I stick out like a sore thumb around this place."

He debated it for a moment while I started to get a little impatient. Wasn't he the one planning to leave me at the villa in the first place? Then he sighed, and nodded. "Alright. I'll... see you."

"And-" I stopped, taking a deep breath, "Just... be careful, alright?" He looked at me surprised, but I turned on my heel and walked away. It took me a few steps to look back at him, but the wall was now unoccupied, the assassin nowhere in sight. I couldn't hold back a slight grin.

Seemed like Mario had been teaching him a few things on the side.

I headed for the tailor first thing. I was wearing a long, borrowed cloak around me, but I desperately needed some clothes that wouldn't make me look so out of place. The training tunics and trousers were meant for much... bigger men, unlike my last boyfriend. I didn't like the idea of letting my clothes go- each pocket was stuffed with things I might need on short notice. But maybe I could think of some compromise.

* * *

Ezio moved through the crowd, gently moving people out of his way. He already readjusted his eyes to the talent that he and his father shared, what he called Eagle Vision. Everything around him became darker, but at the same time as clear as crystal- he discarded all the useless details, focusing on the people and their intention.

Most glowed with a neutral gray, not friends, not allies. Just random people that'd never seen him before in his life. The guards shone in a dim red, their eager willingness to attack at any disturbance or suspicious action evident. On the other side of the spectrum, four of Paola's girls in he corner of the market glowed blue. His allies, they would land a hand if he needed it.

He found his target easily that way. A man, seemingly hidden from sight behind crates. But this was not Le Volpe. This was just a thief, wearing dirty, ripped clothing and barefoot.

He blinked, and the scene changed around him, The normal color flooded back to him, making his shut his eyes from the brightness for a second. At the next moment, he felt someone crash into him.

It was the very same thief he saw shining in yellow, already running to the archway that he and Eden came through.

"Hey! Watch it!" He looked down and then up again, irritation building in him, "And give me back my money!"

"I don't have your money!" the thug laughed, which confirmed that yes, he did have it, and no, he was not giving it back. Ezio cursed as he gave chase. Eden would get an earful after this is all over...

* * *

The woman that greeted me was a somewhat stern lady that looked over me with a critical eye, shaking her head and muttering something to herself. Before I could even tell her what I needed, she ushered me into a fitting room.

"You have such a lean body, and yet you cover it with all those clothes!" She lectured me as she measured around my waist. I was once again reminded of my mother, who used to try and get me out of my baggy clothes. "You would look simply wonderful with long hair and a dress! Noble material!" I nearly snorted at that. Considering I had a few visible scars across my face, I doubt I would ever pass for a noble woman.

"I prefer comfort and practicality to looking good," I told her, "I suppose you can say I travel a lot."

She gave an irritated snort, and poked me with the pin, apparently on accident. "Traveling... girl, who are you hoping to fool? I see those scars and wounds, you know."

"Well, I'm off my rocker, then. Just please, I need something to wear. And I don't have time to argue on my dress choice."

Another poke of the needle. I nearly jumped.

"Well, alright. The custumer is always right, they say. I'll try to make what you're asking for," she sighed. "But really, Signora, you have to take better care of yourself. Eventually, when you stop this foolishness, what will you do then?"

"What do you mean?" I didn't understand. "If it ever comes to that, I'll just..." I hesitated. I had never thought of it. It was never an option before. "I suppose just live my life."

"But not many men would want someone this scarred, my dear. How do you expect to get married when you can barely tell you're a woman?"

I swallowed hard, suddenly feeling sick. "I don't think there's a sane man that would settle for me." Especially in this time.

"Well, that's not true, if you grew out your hair, and invested in some proper clothes, then-"

"Never mind. It's... not that." I still felt uneasy. I didn't like this conversation, so I hurried to change the subject. "Don't worry about it. Just please, finish this shirt up before I bleed all over the material. Those pins are very sharp."

* * *

"Who are you?" Ezio finally regained his breath, staring up at the man who just intervened. He seemed middle aged, but still agile, considering he caught up with the chase.

"Oh, I have many names." The man took the money pouch from the dirty thief, and threw it back into Ezio's hands. "Murderer. Cutthroat. Thief. However, I go by Le Volpe."

"The Fox?"

"Yes. Now, what can I do for you, Ezio?"

"How do you know of me?" the young man was a little alarmed, but The Fox chuckled.

"It's my job to know everything in this city, which is why you seek me out." He dismissed the thief beside the two of them with a lazy wave of the hand. "So what is it?"

"I'm searching for Francesco de'Pazzi. I want to know where he'll be before even he knows it."

"Well," Le Volpe seem to think for a moment, and began pacing. "There was a caravan from Rome. I believe they are holding a meeting tonight. He's sure to be there."

"And do you know where the meeting place is?"

"I can lead you to it."

"Then do so."

"Shouldn't you find your... charming friend?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Eden? She's letting me handle this."

"Letting you?" There was a certain amount of surprise in his voice.

"She decided that shopping was more important at the moment."

"Ah, women. They wear different masks, but they're all the same by nature." The Fox looked somewhat sympathetic.

Ezio sighed, but didn't argue. Eden Cleare was definitely not an average woman.

* * *

_What the hell...? _I wondered as I moved through the crowd towards the center of everyone's attention. Feral growling could be heard through the awed conversations.

"Did you see that?"

"How long did they starve them for?"

"Good Lord, if they went loose right now..."

"They're on chains, don't worry."

I finally broke through the first row of people, and froze, suddenly realizing why everyone around me sounded so awed and scared.

The creature who's growling could be heard on the other side of the plaza were dog like... things. There were five. Huge, a lot bigger than any hound I knew of. A new breed, perhaps. Black fur, long fangs and claws, stubbed tails, these things looked like they could easily crush you with their front paws. The huge chains on their collars certainly didn't give much reassurance. The people holding them were nasty looking soldiers, all wearing full armor and trying to make their way through the plaza. Though they had little problems; people jumped away as the dog-like creatures came anywhere near them.

I watched them walk away, an unpleasant trickle of fear sending shivers down my back. Why would anyone want to create something like that? Who _could _create something like those dogs? They weren't attacking the owners, though they did make menacing sounds when they yanked on the chains. I licked my lips nervously- if those things attacked, not even five bullets to the head will help.

_But what on earth are they for?_

After the soldiers passed and disappeared into the next street, the crowd slowly dissolved, people rushing home to their friends and families of this, no doubt. I made a mental note to tell Ezio when he got back. Quickly calming down quickly after the soldiers and their... hm, pets left, I stretched, looking around, the incident already flying out of my head.

I decided I liked Florence. It had its share of unpleasant things, but over all, it was nice. The buildings looked clean, the people were... well, mostly okay, and it was so sunny here all the time. It looked cheerful, even at night. It was a huge change from the backstreets of New York, that's for sure. I guess I hadn't done much sight seeing the first time I was here. But now, casually walking through the crowds and no longer caring about the guards, I was amazed by how alive and... happy, I guess is the word, it was.

There wasn't much else to do though, and nothing I needed desperately. But I did stop at the armorer's, taking in the different daggers with a dazed look. I didn't even spare the swords a glance. Some were well made, but they just didn't have the charm that the short blades had for me.

"Something catch your eye, Signora?" the blacksmith finally asked me, and I nodded.

"Yes. Those are really well done."

"You have good taste, then," he said approvingly. "Not many women bother with weapons nowadays. It's all dresses and jewelery for them!"

"Wow, differences in opinions around here, it seems..." I muttered. "The woman at the tailor shop just told be that it's not a woman's thing."

"Ah, Leona. Don't mind her, Signora, she's just bitter that she has to work in her husband's business," the blacksmith chuckled. "But look at it!" he thrust the hilt of the blade to me, and I picked it up, twirling it in my hands. "Silver and steel, a masterpiece in itself! Perfect balance! You can use it as either a throwing knife of a dagger!"

I sniffed slightly, barely listening to what the armorer was claiming about the balance and how far it was on the Shiny Objects That Glitter or SOTG scale. It was definitely not silver and the balance off- the hilt was too heavy. The blade was sharp, but not the best work I've seen.

"Actually, just steel, some bits are simply more polished, shined and painted as decoration. It's in good shape, so I'd say the blade is up to a few months old. The balance is okay, but not the best. It's a good blade by itself, I admit," I said, more to myself than him as I put it back onto the counter, "But it's not the blade you're describing."

The smith stared at me for a full minute, and began laughing suddenly. "Smart woman, you seem to know your way around the weapon rack! Forgive me, it was a test. Most of the people around here only want things like this for collections, and decorations. It's a shame wasting material on such things when they'll spend their years on display." He smiled widely at me, and I smiled back.

"My collection is more practical," I tapped my nose. "I just lost two of my knives on pigs that didn't deserve it."

"You'll find better in my store!" he nodded enthusiastically. "Well, I won't waste any more of your time. Here, I rarely bring out this stock. It's been collecting dust under the counter for a while now."

He put a fairly large box in front of me, and my interest peaked, the kleptomaniacal gleam returning to my eyes. I picked up each of the weapons, examining them, sometimes just staring at them in awe. The smith, apparently pleased with my reaction, didn't rush my progress, probably reveling in my attentiveness to his work.

One stayed in my hands the longest. It was long, thin, elegant and sharp as death. The handle fit in my hand as if it was made for it. The metal strong, a single emerald stone in the guard. My fingers traced the design on the hilt gently.

The smith noticed my raised interest. "Ah, yes. Quite a beauty, isn't it? It was originally made for a woman like yourself, on special order and made to deliver poison. See the little scabs at the base leading down? The first blade I ever made for a woman's hand. Anyway, it found its way back into my possession a few months after I sold it."

"By chance?" I asked, not taking my eyes off the gleaming blade.

"Perhaps," he shrugged. "I don't believe in fate, Signora, but maybe this blade was meant for you in the first place."

He was just trying to convince me buy the dagger. but I was already close to it. Such a master piece only came around once a lifetime. I sighed heavily and reluctantly put it back on the table. It must have cost a fortune.

"I'm afraid I just spent most of the money I had on me."

"Then come back tomorrow! I assure you, it will still be here." I smiled, nodding, and with a final glance at the blades, walked away, heading towards the fountain I was supposed to meet Ezio at. I wouldn't be able to come back, for the blade must cost more money than I ever held in my life. And considering Ezio's talent for finding trouble, we might not even be in Florence tomorrow.

* * *

"Hm. Bones everywhere," Ezio thought absently as he jumped down into the catacombs.

_Yes, an amazingly accurate statement, _Eden's voice in his head smirked. Growling to himself, he could almost see her rolling her eyes. Bad enough he had to endure her in the real world. He didn't need her voice mocking him every step of the way.

Yes, there were bones. Lots of them. They crunched under his feet, they were lying in open coffins, they were imbeded in the walls. He didn't mind the dead, but the fact that there were so many made him a little uneasy. It was as if this place was stormed by scavengers who looted the graves and left without bothering to put everything back in order. But who? Grave robbers? Or the soldiers that patrolled the main passages?

Aside from the few guards, random hay stacks, and the large number of skeletons, there was nothing worth of note in the dungeons under the chapel. Or at least he thought so at first.

* * *

I sneezed violently, taking a deep breath.

"Bless you."

"Thank you," I replied automatically. Then I suddenly turned to the voice and raised an eyebrow at the small child sitting on the bench behind me. His eyes were red from tears. "Why hello there." The boy looked at me as I knelt down to his level, my voice soft, reassuring. "What's your name?"

"Mama told me I shouldn't talk to strangers," he blinked at me somewhat owlishly.

"Well, my name is Eden. I'm not so much a stranger anymore, am I?"

He seemed to think, and then shook his head, "No. I'm Alexandro."

"And where's your mother?"

"I- I don't know." he sniffed, and I felt a pang in my chest.

"Well, we should find her, then." He sniffed again and nodded, jumping off the bench and grabbing onto my hand. I ran my free hand through the brown curls on his head soothingly. "Come on, don't cry! We'll find your mom! Can you tell me what she looks like?"

"She's..." he thought for a moment, forgetting about tears, "She's tall."

I sighed. "Well, okay. So we're looking for a tall woman with brown hair and green eyes?" I took a guess, and he shook his head, giggling a little. I smiled at the sound.

"Mama has brown eyes!"

"Okay, so tall, brown hair and eyes." He nodded up at me, and I glanced around.

"And she wears a red dress!"

"Is it the tall woman with brown hair and a red dress on the other side of the plaza, looking for someone?" I barely noticed her through the crowd, but her dress did stand out a bit. The woman was dashing around, asking strangers about something desperately. But the people just shook their heads and shrugged, passing by.

"Mama?" he stared trying to see around the crowd, but I held his hand tightly so he wouldn't get lost again.

"Come on, I'll get you to her."

The woman was nearly in tears when we finally broke through the crowd to her, clinging on to people that passed and asking them if they'd seen her son. The little boy rushed to her the moment she was in sight. She exclaimed in relief, throwing her arms around her son, hugging him close. I simply stood there, unsure what to do.

"Alexandro! I told you to stay close to me! Oh, if I couldn't find you..." she was sobbing, coming to kneeling at his level as the little boy reached up to pat her on the head. "And there were those horrid dogs, oh, if they went loose..."

"Eden found me!"

"Who?" the woman looked up, but I was already gone, lost in the crowd. Tears suddenly swelled up in my eyes. But I forced myself to take a deep breath and calm down as I slid in between the people, heading back to the fountain on the other side of the plaza.

At the back of my head, I wondered where Ezio was. I was already beginning to worry.

* * *

"They're all here! Our troops want nothing more!" The fat man in colorful clothes said, waving his hands around the weapons on the table. Ezio recognized him as Bernando, a banker.

"So this token means that the Pope has given his blessing?" Jacobo asked.

Jacobo de'Pazzi, as far as Ezio remembered, a successful and aggressive banker as well. His father had mentioned him a few times, and never in friendly tone. He was old, rich, powerful, and a Templar, which automatically put him in the enemy category.

The Maestro nodded, "He said we can do what needs to be done..." he paused. And then with a chuckle, continued, "As long as no one gets killed."

"The bait was laid out, though it was difficult," Francesco suddenly spoke, "His brother keeps changing his mind."

"The Medici family are either stupid or arrogant."

"Actually, it's a bit of both." There was general laughter, though Ezio failed to see the joke.

"Do not underestimate our enemies." It was the priest again, "Or do you forget already how your son was murdered?"

That silenced Francesco.

"I trust the plan will go without a hitch?"

Suddenly, Ezio recognized that voice from under the hood did not speak with the usual accent. More northern, as though of somewhere along the Iberian Peninsula. _Spain? _he thought to himself, not daring to even whisper in fear of being discovered.)

"There's a few more things I need to take care of before I leave for Rome," the apparent Spaniard continued speaking. "Gentlemen, tomorrow, a new sun is rising over Firenze."

With that, he left, and the others slowly followed.

Ezio was left alone in the secret passage with his worried thoughts. A plot against the Medici family was a serious thing. And it was likely to work, too. If they managed to put one of their men in power, Firenze would be under Templar control, which would make things a lot harder.

_Damn it, what are you planning?_

He glanced around, unsure how to get out of the place. Going back was not an option. It would take him a long time to find his way around the catacombs again, considering most of the doors closed behind him. So there was only one way- forward.

The remaining passage was surprisingly short before he walked into a bright room. It took him a few moments to realize that he just found one of the assassin tombs his uncle told him about.

He couldn't believe his eyes. The room was small, banners handing down from the ceiling. Made out of pure white marble, though very dusty, was a statue identical to one of the ones under the Monteriggoni villa. There were inches of dust covering the entire room, the chests, the vases, the floor, swirling about lazily the air. But most importantly, there was a sarcophagus resting in the middle of it all.

His footsteps didn't echo as he stepped onto the dusty floor, sending little clouds everywhere. Even though the room was very old, it was still beautiful, the white of the statues making the room seem bright and holy, almost. Approaching the coffin, he kneeled down in front of it, first in respect, and then to pull the stone skull switch that moved the lid aside.

Inside, the long-passed assassin was bound in the standard burial shroud, save a red ribbon stretched out the length of him. On the chest lay a round stone seal that he recognized as being one of the keys to the gate that lead to Altair's armor. He muttered a prayer, apologizing, and took the seal from the coffin, moving the lid shut again.

Respecting the dead, he ensured that everything was the way he found it before leaving. The former assassin could rest peacefully now.

* * *

Absentmindedly playing with the water in the fountain, my eyes kept wandering to the people that passed by. Most were women, going shopping for food, flowers, medicine, and clothes. They walked along the rows of merchants, some pulling children along, others walking with their husbands, some banding together and chattering loudly. Farther along, two kids were running through, nearly knocking a merchant over and laughing loudly. A man was sitting by the walls, his clothes ripped and dirty, his face smudged with dust and mud, begging the people that passed to spare a few coins. Two men argued loudly on the outskirts of the market, not minding the gathering crowds.

I felt a painful tug in my heart as I watched a young woman buy her daughter a candy from one of the vendors. The child nearly squealed from excitement, the mother's face lighting up at her kid's laughter. I tore my gaze away, looking back to the water. The little tiny fish that occupied the said fountain flinched away from my hand at first, but came closer after a minute, as if in a daze.

Contrary to popular belief, I loved children. And the fact that I'd never have any of my own made it all that much painful to watch as other mothers fawned over theirs. Those heartwarming displays of affection summoned reactions in me I didn't even get in the face of death, gnawing at my heart and making me regret my every decision more than ever.

_~"I'm sorry. There's still a possibility, but the chances are slim. We did the best we could, but there's simply nothing else to be done. I'm... really sorry."~_

Feeling a hand on my shoulder, I stiffened.

"You're back." Ezio sat down beside me, but I didn't turn away from the fountain. "I didn't even get the chance to miss you. How did it go?"

"Oh, you know, chased a few thieves, crawled in a tomb, listened in on a meeting, found out about a plot against the Medici family, discovered an assassin's resting place... nothing big." He barely even chuckled.

"I'm sure you're eager to fill me in on all of it. Let's go."

"Are you crying?" I brought my hand up to my face, and with surprise noted the long wet streak on my face.

"No."

"Liar," he gently said. I ignored that comment, preferring not to answer.

"Come on, let's get out of here. My hand is getting numb." For some reason, I didn't think about pulling it out of the water until this moment. I didn't look at him as we walked in silence, for once.

I hated myself for going into that rage. I hated myself because I got in the way of that knife. I hated myself for killing the last reason for my existence that was left in me after my sister turned away. All because of a stupid mistake, that one single fall that I could never get up from, I ruined the last chance that was given to me.

There was no one in the world that hated me more than I did.

She led him to a small room that she'd paid board for while he was gone with the money they split at the beginning of the day. Maybe she was a Seer, as well as being from the future, because it was close to the Plaza where the crowds, as well as the Medici family, would gather for the morning service.

She dropped her bag onto the bed. He already noticed that she never let it go. Not trusting anyone else with it, she stubbornly carried it around with her even though it slowed her pace down considerably. It must have tired her out greatly.

"You're hurt," she suddenly stated as he stood at the window, examining the barely visible plaza.

"Huh?" He'd only just became vaguely aware of the pain in his shoulder blade. "Really?"

"No, I'm only joking," she said sarcastically, "Alright, shirt off."

"I'm sorry, what?" he stared at her with an eyebrow raised.

"It's a pretty big wound. If it slows you down and in turn gets me killed tomorrow, I will come down and haunt your ass," She seemed to be kidding. But she always said these things with such a serious face that he still couldn't quite tell. Maybe she actually mocked him. Or maybe it was her way of showing concern. He tried to find an argument to that logic, but then decided it was easier to just do as she said. Pulling off his armor and shirt, he took a seat on the bed.

"Hm," she hummed as she prodded it lightly. He hissed at her, but she ignored him. "How did you manage to walk down the street with this?" She stood up for a moment to get the bowl of water on the table, and then she took some stuff out of her bag. "What happened to you, anyway? You were gone for a few hours."

"Like I said, nothing too grand. Just general sneaking, killing and eavesdropping," He attempted a shrug, but she forced his shoulder to stay still as she cleaned the scratch, "The Templars are going to attack the Medici family at the morning service tomorrow."

"I always knew that religion was going to kill us all…will you stop moving?"

"Sorry."

"Anyway, it seems like the Templars are going on a killing spree against the nobles. First you, then the freaking ruling family...by the way, you're pretty lucky. It's not infected," It took him a moment to figure out what she was talking about, "Where's that medicine you have? It'd be pretty useful at the moment."

"What? Oh, right," he searched the belt pouch with one hand (she still didn't let him move), and drank the contents of the little vial. "And it's not a noble killing spree. They kill the ones that get in their way."

"Is that what happened to your family?"

"Yes. Father had evidence against Francesco de'Pazzi. Without it, he went free," his fists clenched. She didn't reply for a moment.

"So what's wrong with the Medici? As far as I remember, they are pretty powerful. Killing them won't go unnoticed. Obviously people won't be too happy. So then what's the point?"

"I think they have a means of putting their own people in power. If Lorenzo and his brother are out of the way, then they'll take control over Firenze."

"And what will happen then?" She seemed curious. "I mean, aside from the fact that they'll most likely kill us?

"They'll have an army, for one thing." Finishing her work, she finally told him he can get dressed, packing her things away while he pulled on his shirt. "And, like you said, they'll be able to hunt us down and kill us."

"Well, then. What a cheerful future we have if we fail tomorrow."

"Technically, if _I_ fail tomorrow. You don't have to be there."

"Ha! And let you have all the fun?" She thought about it for a second, before adding, "Though this fun sounds like getting yourself killed, I'm coming whether you like it or not. Even if it's just to clean you off the streets."

"You're impossible," he rolled his eyes, even as he forced himself to hold back a smirk.

"So I'm told. Alright, before we get into a pointless argument over this, I take the bed and you take the pillows," she said as she finished up with the bandage.

That statement worried him. When did she ever want to avoid a pointless argument? Wasn't she the champion at getting him to bicker with her until he was ready to either kill her or himself?

As she slept on the bed, he sat on the floor. His back against the frame, he stared out of the dark square of the window, trying to think of some plan for the next day. It was the dead quiet that tipped him off. He doubted she was sleeping, as he couldn't hear her breathing, even in the silence of the night. She didn't even twitch, lying stiff as a board. She wasn't sobbing, or even sniffing, either. However, eventually she went to sleep, her breathing evening out after a long time.

Looking over his shoulder at her, he saw she was sleeping fully dressed, except for her weapons, which lay beside her. Taking them in, he suddenly wondered where the hell she kept all of them. There were around ten throwing knives, two daggers, the sword she got back in Monteriggoni, and one of those miniature canons she demonstrated back in Leonardo's workshop. Most of them were out of sight up until the point where she used them, too. And how many more weapons were in her bag? She never let anyone else touch it, much less look inside, as if out of habit.

He glanced at it, but resisted. He respected her privacy. If she didn't want him to look inside, he wouldn't. And perhaps there were things in there he didn't even want to know about.

Sighing to himself, he leaned his head on the bed again. Might as well try to get some sleep, or things would be a lot harder in the morning.


	10. Chapter 9

Note- I've done a drawing of Eden for those of you who care, mostly for practice, but it works. The link is in my profile.

* * *

Ezio woke up first, without any sort of trigger. The streets outside were still nearly deserted, not even one ray of sunshine lighting up the sleeping city. The wound on his shoulder blade that he got from one of the guards in the tombs ached slightly, but it no longer hurt.

He stood up, and slowly, as if afraid of pain, stretched, carefully at first, and then until his bones started cracking. He glanced over to Eden's sleeping form on the bed, to find that she was curled up in the blanket almost like a cat. Her face surprisingly peaceful, a light smile graced her face. He cocked his head to the side, wondering if he should wake her up or just leave. She'd kill him afterward, though... But she'd be a lot safer here.

Right now, sleeping fully dressed, but without her weapons, she looked almost harmless. Innocent even. Living proof that looks could be deceiving. Eden was neither of those things, least of all harmless.

She suddenly opened her eyes, as if she felt his gaze on her. Looking at him, her expression was sleepy and confused.

"Wha-? Oh, good morning," she said as she lifted sat up on the bed. "What are you doing staring at me so early?"

"Um, remember, people need killing, families need saving?" he reminded her. She seemed to think hard, only to groan and slam back into the bed.

"Right…do we have to?"

"You don't," he shrugged, donning his armor. She sighed, pulling herself up again

"If you actually think I'll let you take all the glory, you're sadly mistaken," she stretched, yawning widely, "But first, food. And I don't suppose there's any coffee around?"

"Coffee?" he raised an eyebrow in surprise, and she shook her head.

"I'll take that as a no. Fine, just food then." She pulled out her bag from under the bed, setting it down beside her. She must have bought the food at the market the day before.

"I don't suppose I'll be able to get my clothes from the tailor today?" He shrugged and she sighed. "Some day this is turning out to be. What's our plan, anyway?"

"Get in there, get close, stop the conspirators," he shrugged.

"Wait, get close to where?"

"Wherever the Medici family is."

"And when it begins, how exactly are we stopping it?"

"By killing the attackers, of course."

"Of course," she agreed, "And if we're too late?"

"Then Florence will be taken over by very bad people."

"Then we won't be late."

"My thinking exactly."

"Fine. I have just one more question," she raised a finger.

"Yes?"

"What's the reward?"

He did a double take, and seeing his shock, she burst out laughing.

"I'm kidding! Ezio, you've got to stop taking me so seriously all the time!" she shook her head, still smiling. He continued staring and she started fidgeting. "No, seriously, I didn't mean that. Please stop staring." He looked away towards the window. Was she always kidding? Why didn't he know whether or not to take her seriously? She was not mocking him, or trying to humiliate him. She was just... being the cheerful, joking her.

She snapped her fingers in front of his face suddenly, and he was brought out of his thoughts. He blinked, looking around at her. "You were quiet for a minute. You okay?"

"Just thinking."

"Really?" He only now noticed that while she delivered the joke with sarcasm, her smile was still light, genuine.

"Lorenzo Medici was my father's friend," he suddenly said. She looked at him with confusion.

"That's... um, okay."

"He wasn't in Firenze when they were executed."

"Right."

"He would have done something if he was here, though."

"Sure."

"And... that's it. I just think things would have turned out a bit differently if he was around."

She offered him a soft smile. "Maybe it would have. But it didn't, so don't dwell," she spoke seriously, the apple she was eating forgotten in her hand. "Someone very wise once told me that I need to shut up and take it like a woman, though I don't think that applies to you."

He stared at her for a moment, and then slowly, a smile spread on his lips, and he shook his head. "And who's this wise man?"

"My friend Jake, when I joined the gang. He was trying to cheer me up." Her smile suddenly disappeared, and she stared out the window. It was getting brighter, the sun beginning to rise. "He was like a brother to me. I'll miss him."

"Do you think there's a way for you to get back to your time?" he asked, and she hesitated.

"Even if there is, I'm not going back. No way in hell am I ever going through that again."

"What happened to you?"

"A lot of things, none of them pleasant," she shrugged, getting up, "But I think now is not the time. Let's go, we have a certain family to save."

* * *

"I hate you," she whispered for what must have been a hundredth time as they moved through the crowd. He sighed, and replied the exact same way as he did the ninety nine previous times.

"I know."

Somehow, he knew that this was the result of her apprehension. He simply couldn't think of any other explanation as to why she would want to repeat it so many times otherwise. He was feeling a little nervous too at that moment. There _were_ a lot of guards around the place...

"I ha-"

"Shh! It's starting." Her breath of relief was so quiet he could have imagined it. "There's Lorenzo (It's "Lorenzo") with his wife," he whispered to her, nodding in the right directions. "And there is his brother."

She was not looking at the nobles, though. Instead, she was ripping through the crowd with the force of a hurricane, and he had no choice but to follow her. "Where are the conspirators?"

He looked over the crowd as well. "There... that old noble, Jacobo, and the two priests beside him. And there's Francesco with the man with colorful clothes."

"Alright," she nodded, all traces of nerves suddenly gone. "If they attack, we need to be as close as possible." She pushed aside some woman, who looked at her reproachfully, but didn't say anything, simply wrinkling her nose in disgust.

"Be more gentle. They'll think we're the assassins," he whispered to her, and she looked over her shoulder, smirking. He realized the irony of his statement, and shut up.

"Split up," she suddenly said, "I'll take care of the family if it comes to that, and you do your thing with de'Pazzi."

"With pleasure," he growled. After all this man was the sole reason half his family was dead. They executed them so he'd walk free. Eden nodded with approval just as the commotion started. She whipped around towards the front of the church, and then resumed shoving aside the screaming nobles, both her and Ezio pulling out their weapons in the process.

The fat banker ran towards Giuliano with a menacing roar, a dagger in hand, something the noble barely dodged, shock written on his face. His wife began screaming bloody murder as her husband fell, and Francesco caught up, driving his own knife deep in the man's chest.

On the other side of the plaza things were going slightly better. Lorenzo took a shallow slice on his neck, now bleeding all over his formal robes. But he still held the sword he picked up from the ground with a shaky, but confident grip, his free hand trying to stop the blood flow, all while fighting off at least five turn coat guards at once. Ezio's eyes focused on Francesco though, the blood lust singing in his soul, and his pulse beating like a war drum. Revenge was sweet, he knew from Uberto, and this time it was going to be even better.

Eden disappeared from his side, but he barely noticed, picking up his pace into a run as the crowds dissolved around him.

"Dammit all!" I muttered angrily through the battle. I didn't know how to fight, for Christ's sake! These were fully trained guards with years of experience with the sword on me, as well as an advantage in strength!

But a cornered rat becomes twice as deadly, and right now it was either fight, or die. I tried my best to take advantage of what little I had- speed and aim. I slipped from under the swords, striking a dagger into the gaps between armor. Fighting the best way I could, I stood in between where Ezio defended Lorenzo, striking with deadly force at the guards. I absently noted that he was very good with his sword, the hours of training really paid off on him.

Somewhere along the way I felt a sharp pain in my back. But adrenaline soothed the wounds, and I continued to fight.

I imagine the member of the Medici family couldn't even see who it was defending him. His eyes seemed unfocused in the rare glances I spared him, making sure no one sneaked up from behind. Jacobo and the other guy that looked like a colorful parrot and god knew who else already fled the scene. Somewhere nearby, Ezio was dueling with Francesco. Behind me, I heard Lorenzo groan, and I clenched my teeth, shoving the short blade in my left hand in the small gap in the guard's helmet. An echoing scream, blood sprayed out, and he collapsed. I took a deep breath, spinning around just to find that it was only Ezio and me still on our feet in this section of the plaza. Lorenzo was barely keeping himself up with his sword, leaning onto the hilt very heavily. I put away my own blade, leaving only the knife in my hand, and rushed to help him. However, Ezio got to him first.

"Than-" he struggled, moaning with pain.

"Don't talk," Ezio shushed him, keeping his hand pressed firmly on his wound as I helped Lorenzo stand up. He blinked.

"A woman?" he asked, coughing. I rolled my eyes.

"A woman who saved your life, so please, with all due respect, let me help you."

"We need to get you to safety," Ezio cut me off, shooting me a glare at my sharp retort. I glared in return, my temper rising. Who did he think he was-

"My house," Lorenzo interrupted my thoughts, bringing me back to our rather deadly current situation, "There are people I trust there... Please..." he gasped. As Ezio made sure he was secure at my side, I looked around at frenzy, feeling a familiar warm, oozing feeling on my back. Dammit all. Francesco was fleeting the scene, his back simply begging for one of my throwing knives. As much as I wanted to give chase, getting Lorenzo to safety was more important at the moment.

Without warning, a Brute guard crossed our path, standing in between us and Ezio, who was looking around for Francesco, like I was moments previous. Somehow, I didn't like the very large menacing axe. Ezio wouldn't have time to turn around if the Brute attacked...

Out of desperation, I didn't think twice before I screamed, "HEY, TINMAN! Didn't they tell you that those toys are for adults only?" Surprisingly enough, he heard me, and I heard an angry roar coming from underneath the helmet as he forgot all about the assassin and turned towards me. Even if I couldn't see his face, I could tell he was intent of cleaving me in half. I gulped, but nearly fell down in relief as I saw a familiar tip of Ezio's blade sticking out of his neck. I growled menacingly as the noble kicked him onto the ground with a loud clanging noise. "Come on, we have to get to the Medici house! He's losing blood fast!"

"But Francesco-"

"Can wait until later, or all this will be in vein anyway! Look around you! The city is in chaos! Do you really think I'll pull him through all this alone?" I nearly shouted at him as I pulled the injured man at my side, thankful that he could still move his feet a bit. Or I'd have a lot more trouble with him. Ezio nodded, and began to quickly walk in front of me, leading the way.

I sighed and rubbed my heated cheeks with the back of my hand. I knew this was all a bad idea.

Another wave of turn coats had separated the three of them from the house. Ezio was the only one able to fight, not including the Medici men that were scattered throughout the alleys and streets. He tried his best not to let any of the enemies get to Lorenzo and Eden. But when they did, they were dispatched quickly with her throwing knives. He didn't know how many she had, but he knew for a fact she'd be running out soon. And she did ever love those knives of hers.

Lorenzo was almost completely limp on her shoulder, though keeping himself conscious out of the lasts bits of energy that was left in him. He now held his sword limply in his hand, refusing to let go.

When there were finally no more of the guards left, they got to the door. Ezio hurried to pound on it, ready to catch Lorenzo if Eden's strength suddenly gave out under the weight. A man looked through the small window in the door.

"Open the door, Lorenzo is injured!"

"What's the password?" Before he could so much as growl, Eden stepped in line of sight of the window. There were gasps behind the door.

"Open the fucking door!" Lorenzo struggled to gasp out. He was nearly impossible to recognize through the blood, but the door finally swung open.

"Get in, quick!" Ezio helped Eden get Lorenzo through the doorway, and they sat him on the bench near the entrance. Someone yelled for a doctor. Eden didn't let go of his wound though. When one of his men tried to get her to step away, she growled with the ferocity of an animal. She was covered in Lorenzo's blood as well and there were several cuts in her clothes. It was nearly impossible to tell whose blood was whose.

A doctor came fast, flanked by a few maids hurrying in with a large tub of water. The doctor directing them and Eden, they worked on washing and dressing the ruler's wounds.

Meanwhile, Ezio talked to the captain.

"The city is at war, stranger. Most of the city guard has turned on us," he claimed. "We barely had time to shut down our doors. And with Lorenzo and his brother still at the service, we feared for the worst. We can't thank you enough for bringing him in!"

Ezio glanced nervously to Eden, who was now washing her hands and face of blood, slightly alarmed by her snort. For the captain's own safety, he stepped away from him and towards Lorenzo, who was just regaining with vision again.

"Thank you, stranger, for saving my life," he was coughing as stumbling over words still, but speaking quite clearly now. "And you, Signora. I won't forget what you've done, be sure of it," Eden finally came back towards them, the tips of her hair dripping, though most of the blood on her face was washed off now.

She sighed. "Gratitude won't help right now."

"You're right," he nodded, hissing in pain. He still didn't stand up, and a good thing, too. He'd lost a lot of blood, so he'd probably collapse again anyway. "You two need to find and kill de'Pazzi."

"We're planning on it," Ezio nodded.

"Tell me though, why did you try to save my life so readily?"

"Let's just say you're not the only one who lost a brother to him," the young assassin sighed, "My name is Ezio Auditore."

"Ah. You're Giovanni's son," Lorenzo spoke sadly, "He was a trusted friend of mine. His death was not just."

"Listen, this is very enlightening and everything," Eden snapped impatiently, grabbing Ezio by the sleeve and yanking him to her so that she couldn't be overhead. Ezio noted with alarm the two blood streaks on her back. That was probably the reason of her intense irritation. "But why are we still standing around here, when there's a certain Jackass Senior that needs a knife in the throat? And more importantly, why am I still here, when I should be out there, trying to scavenge back my daggers? I wasted my entire collection in under five minutes!"

"The lady is right," The captain suddenly spoke, though he seemed uncertain in calling her a lady. She looked surprised that he overheard. "Francesco must be dealt with. If he is left unchecked, they will put their own devils in power!

"And my survival will mean nothing," Lorenzo concluded.

"Then we deal with Francesco," Ezio shrugged. Eden nodded grimly.

_A few minutes later..._

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What does it look I'm doing? I liked those knives!"

"You can buy new ones!"

"I don't want new ones! I want mine!"

"Why?"

"Because they're mine!" Suddenly, he realized he couldn't help but smile at her childish pout at she searched the bodies around, looking for the throwing knives and her hands getting covered in blood again. He also absently wondered how she managed make him smile in a situation like this.

"Eden, I'll get you a whole new set once we deal with Francesco. But only if we move now, alright?"

There was a long silence as she thought about it. Then sighing and sparing the corpses one last look of grief, she nodded, following him. She produced her bag out of nowhere again, probably having stashed it somewhere near here before they went to the plaza.

"Okay. But it better be a damn good set, or I swear to God, I'll take your non-existent balls and shove them up your-"

* * *

"His men are around here, but where's..." Ezio looked around, making sure that there were no blades coming his way. He suddenly realized Eden was standing there with her head turned upwards. Confused, he followed her gaze. "Ah."

"Yep."

"Do you think you can shoot him from here? Like you did with the archers a few weeks back?"

Slowly, she shook her head. "No, he keeps on moving, and it's way too far. If I miss, we'll just tip him off."

"Then we climb."

She looked at him sourly. "Yes. We climb. Have I mentioned I hate you?"

"A few times, I believe. Though you can always stay here..."

"Keep dreaming. Let's go."

* * *

"You're insane," I stated. "I know I'm not exactly of the best sanity either, but you are completely off your rocket."

"I've done it before."

"Then you're either extremely lucky or just that thick-skulled."

"Look, he's not going to wait forever, so will you just get up here?"

Francesco de'Pazzi had just fled the tower via jumping in a haystack that was conveniently placed right under us. At the moment he was commanding the troops with inspiration, following his loud announcement that he was now the ruler of Firenze, and not the Medici.

And now this suicidal and mental assassin was asking me to jump from the same freaking tower that was at least a hundred meters from the ground? But he was right- it was unlikely that Francesco would patiently wait until we came down to the ground the way we came from. This was the fastest way that would get us pretty darn close to him. Except for the fact that we'd be dead. So I don't see how the saved minutes were going to be relevant.

Getting impatient, he yanked me up on the teeth of the wall. Before I had a chance to protest, he crushed me to his chest and jumped. I was too terrified to scream, my hands instinctively wrapping around his middle, my nails probably hurting him through the fabric. And with that, I waited for the sure, cold grip of death. Well, at least it'll be fast... Right? Most people died of the shock, anyway...

I felt the landing, but to my enormous surprise, it was a lot softer than I expected. I realized that against all odds that we landed in the random hay stack in the middle of the plaza. I'd even managed to use Ezio as a cushion, too. My hands still gripped his back, hoping very dearly that I was causing him as much pain as could at this moment, while I tried to calm down my near-shattered nerves. I opened my eyes, noting that we were buried in the hay and there was no way anyone would see us right now. And that damned arrogant asshole was staring up at me with a triumphant smirk, for which I vowed to slap him for later.

"If you don't let me go, I will be forced to hurt you," I swallowed hard, my voice hoarse and shaky, and not sounding nearly as intimidating as I hoped it would. Actually, I was in pain at the moment.

"Is now really the time to think about that?" he asked suggestively. My reply was my "I'm-not-amused" face.

"No- your hand is rubbing one of my cuts. It burns."

"Oh. Sorry." His hand left my waist and I slid off him and out of the haystack, crouching behind it, my hands automatically brushing the hay out of my hair. Ezio appeared the next moment and then looked underneath the cart.

"Don't worry, the monsters are just your imagination," I muttered. Stupid straw. He threw me a glare.

"He still hasn't moved."

"Then we're going the same way about this. You do your job, and I'll do mine."

"Which is...?"

"Clearing your way out, of course. I doubt his men are going to be very happy with the loss of their leader," I sighed. "They scratch, but they're still just walking tin cans, probably without even a mind of their own."

"Why do you think I'm going to run?"

"Why wouldn't you?" I raised an eyebrow. "Any smart, sensible man with an ounce of logic left would- Oh, I see. Well, fine, but be warned, I'm not cleaning you up off the plaza. The crows can have whatever is left of you after the Brutes bulldoze you to the ground."

He sighed. She was right. No sane person would stay to fight this many heavily armed people after the job was done. No decent assassin would make an assassination into a massacre.

"Cheer up, my little assassin, you'll be fine. Most of the guards are concentrated here anyway, so you should have no problems. I'll meet you at Leo's. Those scratches on my back are really starting to itch..."

The way she spoke so calmly, as if they weren't planning an assassination, but discussing the price rates of potatoes, made his nerves calm considerably. She was still probably going to kill him after all of this, due to the little stunt he pulled when they leapt off the tower. But that was a bearable thought, considering she probably wouldn't kill him. Just... hurt him a little. Or a lot. But that could wait until later; he had a target and he was going in for the kill.

They got up at the same time, and like his previous assassination, nodded to each other and ran in the opposite directions. She went for the roofs, and he slid to Francesco, who probably couldn't even have imagined in his moment of power and madness that his death was just a stride away...

After I climbed the nearest building by the plaza, I took care to look around for any stray archers. Shooting one down, I booked it towards the place I vaguely remembered to be Leonardo's house. Good thing it wasn't far away, and fairly easy to spot. One glance in his windows, and I was sure I got the right building.

"Eden? What are you doing here? Where's Ezio?" Leonardo's eyes widened as I slipped through the open window into the workshop. I smiled.

"Taking care of something. He'll come here in a few minutes."

"You're covered in blood! What happened? I heard fighting outside, something about men going turncoat, and de'Midici family being murdered!"

"Yeah, that's the gist of it," I nodded, dropping down my bag and taking off my jacket. "We managed to save Lorenzo though."

"You did?" He seemed even more surprised. "I mean- that's great news! But where's-"

"Like I said, he's taking care of something," I said impatiently, "Now, excuse me, but I've got a few nasty cuts on my back, and I can't reach them."

"Of- of course! Let me just boil some water, and then-" I dropped into one of the armchairs, relaxing for what seemed the first time today. This was worse than horse riding for hours.

"So tell me what happened," Leo inquired as he set down the bowl of hot water beside me, along with some herbs and salves. I shrugged.

"Not much to tell. We swooped in, kicked ass, got Lorenzo out of there, and then decided we should finish what we started and kill Francesco."

"So Ezio is-"

"Yep. I made sure his way was clear, so he should get here soon, unless he gets lost along the way." I pulled my shirt up, exposing the cuts on my back. I think there were two, one going from my right shoulder blade down diagonally, the other nearly parallel to it, shorter and a bit more shallow. There was a painful ache in the areas. I prayed to God that they didn't get infected.

"He's not that bad."

I sighed. "No, he's not. But I suppose it depends what you compare him to. He's actually very nice compared to a venomous spider. But I think God will give him a run for his money."

"O-okay." He seemed amused at my statement, if somewhat confused. "Well, I have good news. The cuts didn't get infected."

"Thank Jesus." My relief was very sincere.

"Hm," I noticed he was staring out of the window I popped out of absently. "I think it's starting to rain."

"Don't worry, ducks don't get wet."

"Ezio is not a duck."

"Seriously? Why wasn't I notified of this?"

"Probably because until now, you thought I was female." The subject of my dissection had just entered the building, via the same open window which I came through. I snorted.

"I think I'll go as far as to say you're female duck. But I see you got a little wet, so I suppose we rule out the bird part," I smiled in greeting. He closed the window behind him, breathing heavily. Stray water drops rolled down his armor and hood. So Leo was right, it was indeed starting to rain. "How did it go?"

"Oh, overall, surprisingly smooth."

"Hm," I chewed on my lip, lowering my shirt finally. "And?"

"And what?"

"What happened?"

"I came up to him, he noticed and tried to run for it, but I was faster," he flashed the two of us a cocky grin. Leonardo seemed uncertain of how to act. I stood up, stretching very carefully, so the cuts wouldn't open up again. Now he was staring at me with confusion.

"Yes?" I finally asked, moving over to my bag and moving things around just to do _something_ rather than sitting around motionlessly like some cheap doll.

"Aside from implying that I'm a female duck, you barely insulted me so far."

"There's nothing to insult," I shrugged, "And I was kidding about the duck. I'm pretty sure you're not one. The absence of a beak, for example, is a dead give away."

"What? Not even a tiny little crack on how you're amazed that I managed to get the job done?" he was smiling. Removing his weapons, cloak and armor, he was left in his doublet and tunic. Both of them were stained with blood, especially along the arm, I noticed. His wounds didn't look too deep and he was in a good mood, so I didn't bother to comment on them.

"Don't tempt me," I shot him a mock glare. "Actually, I think you did rather well."

"Pardon?" he was taken aback by that statement as Leo began to work on a shallow cut on his arm.

"For a duck, that is," I smiled brightly, "Keep going like this, and you'll evolve into an eagle or something."

"Or I could, you know, stay human."

"Suit yourself," I snorted.

"Now, if you two are done trading barbs, could someone tell me what is going on?" Leo finally intervened as I turned around and Ezio opened his mouth to say something.

"Well, it's raining, Leo. You said it yourself," I started slowly, still smiling. He shook his head.

"Not what I meant, Eden."

"Of course. No one cares about the rain. Geez, you people are insensitive."

"Eden?" Ezio asked.

"Yes?"

"Shut up."

"Kay."


	11. Chapter 10

"You didn't!"

"I did," I nodded sorrowfully, "But in my defense, I was a little drunk. I don't know what he put in that wine, but..."

"So you lit the man on _fire_?"

"On accident! I mean, maybe... a little... I mean, I just knocked the candle over on him! It's his fault, he insisted on the whole corny cliche candle light dinner!"

"And you lit him on fire?"

"Didn't we go over this?" I asked, leaning my head against the table. Ezio shook his head, grinning. We currently sat on the floor in Leonardo's workshop. Technically, we were hiding from whatever was left of Francesco's troops. But really, it was because we didn't want to go anywhere else tonight. So we decided to celebrate a successful assassination by relaxing for once. Leonardo himself, however, said that whatever it was we were doing, he needed sleep, and headed upstairs. I think it was around midnight now, and the commotion outside had long since died down. Only the tapping of the rain could be heard.

"Who was this man, anyway?" Ezio asked.

"Oh, some rich guy who wanted to try something new, so he decided to pick up the first girl in the bar," I snorted, "I don't think he'll be trying that again any time soon," I smiled. "Anyway, that's how I spent my life," I concluded. "Most of it was sleeping in school, or going around the bars in New York. And don't forget the gang wars, those were a pain. Not really that interesting, though, and even a bit depressing. How was being a noble? Must be a lot more cheerful."

"Oh, you know," he waved a hand in the air, "Spending all my money on women and wine, learning how to be a banker from my father, beating up Claudia's suitors..."

"Hm. So, over all, fun?"

"Sometimes. Other times it just got a little repetitive, and I'd find something new to do."

"Like found a new woman to sleep with?" I giggled, and he smirked.

"Perhaps. But anyway, it was a good life. I didn't want it to change," Ezio's face fell, and I stopped smiling, unsure what to do.

"Hey, cheer up. Things aren't so bad now, either," I said. He squinted in appraisal.

"No, I suppose things could be worse. I could be dead along with them," he bitterly replied, and I felt a pang of empathy.

"I mean, you got your revenge and hunted down the man that your father wanted to. And you still have Claudia and Maria, and Mario."

"Yes," he nodded, though his frown stayed. There was an awkward silence.

"So, just out of curiosity, were there any signs of the conspirators?" I asked and he shrugged.

"Jacobo fled the plaza the moment he found out Francesco was dead. I think a few thieves dragged away the body, meaning to hang it from the prison we found him on."

I smiled slightly. "Well, then I'd say this day was a success."

"Weren't you the one who predicted doom this morning, cursing me for everything?"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I made an innocent expression, and he burst out laughing. "Though you know, I think there are still things you can learn."

"What do you mean?"

"Well, no offense, but you've only been doing this for about a month. You're good with a sword and everything, and you run pretty damn fast, but your stealth and... hm, techniques still leave more to be desired." I elaborated. My one remaining knife fluttered into my hand, and I twirled it between my fingers. "And lucky for you, I have years of experience with it. I just think there are some things I can teach you."

"Don't get cocky. And I'm not that bad, am I?" he asked, crossing his arms, somewhat hurt.

"No, you're not. But there's simply still lot of things you can learn."

"Like?"

"Well, like finding spots that will inflict the most damage. Or points that will hurt them the most, but won't kill them. It's all a little morbid, actually, but useful when it comes to that. If you want to silence them quickly, or, on the other hand, loosen their tongue."

"And what's wrong with my methods?" he asked defensively.

"Nothing. Except that your targets generally lie there kicking air for about a minute after you technically killed them. They are beyond help, but I think we should spare them the misery," I replied seriously. "Larry always got mad at me when I killed targets quickly, but he's barely human, so I didn't listen to that one particular point."

"What exactly did you do in this gang of yours, anyway? You speak as an assassin would," he raised an eyebrow, guessing where I learned my skills. I bit my lip.

"I was back up, mostly. I'm a sniper, and I know first aid and some basic treatments. Then I took care of certain matters that had to be done quietly. You can say I was an assassin, I suppose. Larry probably liked to think of me as one. Maybe he knew what my tattoo meant, I don't know. I also dealed when I couldn't find anything else to do."

"Dealed?" he leaned forward with curiosity.

"Yeah... drugs," I shakily said, mood shifting suddenly as he questioned me further.

"What do you mean 'drugs?'" Ezio arched a brow, "Medicine you mean? Like the doctors?"

Gaze flickering away from him for a moment, I tried to find a way to explain the concept of narcotics. "Kind of," I breathed. "Except in my time, people take, ehrm, _medicine_ to feel…better. Temporarily. At parties. Mostly college kids. You know, people who are still in school as adults. At university," I mumbled, quickly remembering he wouldn't know what college was. "You know like the places they have here where people study religion and law. Anyway, it was…wrong," I nodded, rushing my words as I saw him staring at me with mounting confusion. "And illegal. I forbid myself to doing them, since my life was complicated enough without them. But selling the cheap stuff was enough to cover rent and everything," I shrugged, "It was easy money, and I had to survive somehow."

"Hm," he hummed, uncertain how to react. I looked away from him, suddenly feeling ashamed.

"Listen, I'm not proud of myself, believe me. But there was nothing else I could do. They barely let me finish school, but I couldn't get a normal job because of my criminal record."

"Did you ever think of leaving?"

"The gang? It would be impossible. I barely survived being jumped in-"

"Jumped in?" he repeated, unfamiliar with the term.

"Initiated," I clarified, "But leaving would be fatal," I shivered, "I never even considered it."

"What about just leaving the country?"

"I- they'd track me down," I swallowed hard. The atmosphere changed from joking and friendly to something heavy. Though I think it began changing when his father was brought up. "Or Eve."

"And they won't now?"

"Technically speaking, none of us are even born yet," I reminded him. "I don't know how this whole thing works, but I'm pretty sure I'm safe."

"Don't you miss anyone? It was your home, after all."

I thought about it for a moment. "No. Jake was my best friend. But even he always told me that if I got the chance, I should run. And there was no one else."

"Then why did you do it in the first place?"

"Like I said before. I was young and stupid, my father left us, and I was also scared. Then Larry came around, and told that there was a way to protect my remaining family. Obviously I took the chance. I regretted it a thousand times over, but it was too late by that time. And when my mom was..." I choked on those words. "And my sister blamed me. Said that I joined the gang for nothing, because it didn't save mom. She tried to leave, but I had to bring her back into my apartment just a little bit later, in nearly the same condition as my mom was," I didn't like the subject. But I kept talking, hoping to at least get it off my chest. "And then Eve still left. And I was left with nothing but my apartment, a criminal record, and scars that screwed up my life."

"Don't say that," his hand twitched towards me, but stayed on his lap. "You were fighting for something. Why else would you do it?"

"What do women do right now?" I asked suddenly, and he seemed surprised for a moment.

"Well, low and middle class women work, or take care of their husband's houses and children. But what does that-"

"Exactly. They are there for child birth, am I right?"

"Well, not necessarily, but-"

"I'm barren," I blurted out. He stopped talking, staring at me as if trying to comprehend what I was saying.

"I'm sorry?"

"I'm twenty years old, and I only have a one in a hundred chance of ever getting pregnant," I continued. "That's what happened when I was out for revenge for my mother. But I overestimated my abilities and nearly paid for it with my life. In the end, one of her killers stabbed me in the stomach. I was nearly eviscerated," I choked. "The internal scar tissues are screwing the entire system up."

"You-" he stared at me as understanding dawned on him.

"And with that, I lost my value to men. Especially at this point in history," I concluded. "This assassin job is the only thing I can do now, really. I'm only trained to kill, which is why I didn't leave you when I had the chance. It's why I helped you assassinate those men," I took a deep breath. I felt better having it out if the open. But suddenly, I was worried of his reaction. "I survived because that was what I was best at. Considering that I was tied to the gang, with no family or friends outside of it, and no possibility of starting my own life, you could say that everything became sort of pointless.

He was silent for a long moment. Though it seemed to stretch on for hours, I knew that logically it could only have only been for a few seconds.

Hazel gaze catching my own dark one, what he said then took me completely off guard. "You're helping me now," he slowly began, "And of your own free will. Isn't that a point? And a future?" I stared at him, unsure how to reply. It was a curious statement.

"I-I suppose..."

There was a silence again, though not nearly as tense as before. His expression was now sympathetic, but I forced myself to look away from him. The last thing I needed now was to break down completely.

But maybe the point of my life was to go back in time to help him? Maybe the entire reason of for my existence was so I could help history out? It was a paradox, a weird one at that. I decided not to dwell on it. What happened was done and passed, and now there was only one way for me now.

Forward.

"I'm sorry," he said, maybe for the lack of anything better.

"No need for that," I quietly said, giving him a fleeting but thoroughly grateful grin, "You weren't the one that stabbed me, remember?" Standing up and rubbing my neck, I stretched my arms a bit. It'd been a long, eventful day. "However, I want to ask you something."

"Yeah?"

"Do you miss your life? Your old one, I mean. Before everything…happened?"

"Yes," he didn't hesitate in saying, "Things were simpler. They were familiar." He stood up as well. "I miss my father and brothers, almost more than I can comprehend," he breathed, expression distant. "I miss our house. I miss being involved with my old friends, with supposedly polite society, with familiar activities, people and places. So yes, I miss my life… but that certainly doesn't mean I cannot adjust to this new one. Hell, it doesn't even mean I don't find myself _liking_ this new one. "

"What do you mean?"

"It's different in almost every way," he explained, brows furrowed as though deep in thought. "I was a banker's son. And now I'm assassin. And you simply can't compare the two. While I sometimes wish it didn't all happen this way, you cannot change what's already occurred-"

"You can only go forward," I thought out loud. "That's an interesting way of looking at it. Would you miss being an assassin if it was the other way around?"

"Yes, I think so," he suddenly smiled. "There are things I'd miss, that's for sure. Like the complete freedom. I can go wherever I please, act however I desire, even talk to whoever I wish. It's new, and I think I'm beginning to like it."

"Ah, freedom. You don't truly know what it is until you have it," I proclaimed. "I thought being part of a gang was freedom, but it was just another chain. In fact, this is quite nice, considering everything you and I do we is of our own free will," I suddenly yawned. "Well, I'm done being philosophical for today. Might as well get some sleep."

"Good night." I felt his eyes on my as I walked away. We both had things to think about tonight, it seems.

* * *

~_"You promised you'd protect us!" she screamed into my face, and I flinched away. "And yet she's dead!"_

_"I-"_

_"You thought you could play big shot, joining your stupid little gang, carrying a gun around with you, selling drugs to get money, and all that was for NOTHING!"_

_"Eve, please-"_

_"I've had it with your excuses! You think you can play grown up? Fine! __Enjoy being a grown up by yourself. Take some __**real**__ responsibility. __I'm leaving!"_

_"Where will you go?" I was crying, my voice meek._

_"Anywhere away from you, before I end up like her!"_

_"No, Eve, you don't understand-"_

_"I understand perfectly! Mom didn't have to die!"_

_She was desperate, broken down like me. __And__ she was angry, frustrated. I tried to tell her it wasn't my fault, but she didn't listen. The last thing I remembered before I collapsed in tears was her back, storming out the door. She barely even packed- just threw some clothes together, and just...left._

_And then I was alone. I think someone found me in the morning, the voice vaguely familiar, but I don't remember who it was. What I do remember, though, was screaming in rage, the noise echoing in the empty apartment. I barely knew what I was doing afterward, I made phone calls, and then we were going... going somewhere..._

_And there was pain... Excruciating pain in my lower stomach, as well as my chest..._~

* * *

"Eden, you have to wake up." I sat up sharply with a gasp, feeling cold sweat run down my face. "Eden?" I turned my head slowly, still breathing fast. It took me a few moments to realize who was shaking my shoulder. Ezio was crouching beside my improvised bed of blankets on the floor, holding onto my shoulder. Behind him, at the foot of the stairs, Leonardo was staring at me, looking extremely worried. I tried to even out my breathing, and stop the ringing in my ears. "You were screaming. Bad dreams?"

"You can say that..." I licked my dry lips, "I need some... fresh air..." I jumped up, and as I was leaving, I saw them stare after me, confused and worried. I was still fully dressed, using my cloak as a blanket, which now lay discarded on the floor somewhere behind me.

Outside, it was still raining. I came out right in the middle of the street, and took a deep breath. Reveling in the cool air around me, the rain drops felt like heaven falling down on my skin, sliding down. My hair got wet almost immediately, but I didn't mind. The city seemed deserted, except for the faint lights in the windows. No one was outside in the middle of the night, especially during a storm.

I hadn't had that nightmare for a long time. It was unnerving. I thought it was gone already, those things solidly behind me. Looking up the dark sky and letting the drops land on my face, I forgot just how nice this felt.

* * *

You could say that Ezio was surprised. But that would be a bit of an understatement. Eden, the girl who just woke him and Leonardo with her stifled screams, shaking violently, was now spinning out on the street in the rain, splashing the puddles, her face lit up in a childish smile. Her movements were graceful, flowing, as if becoming one with the water pouring around her. Her light laughter could be heard, echoing in the street. She was happy, unrestrained, not minding the cold wet one bit, catching the moment...

He stood frozen in the doorway, watching as she twirled. It was almost hypnotic, the way her movements slid to the next one, performing some unpredictable dance that only she knew.

And then she noticed him, slowly coming to a stop. The moment was gone, though her sheer happiness was not. He could clearly see her bright smile.

"Eden, what are you doing?" She took a step to the side for balance, and shook her head slightly to clear it.

"What does it look like I'm doing?" she laughed, "I love rain."

How she managed to go from hysterical and scared to childish, cheerful and carefree within minutes, he didn't know. "Why are you spinning, though?"

She seemed to think for a second. "My mother used to do it."

"Right. And why are you doing it?"

"Because it's fun!" In a quick stride, she reached him, soaking wet but nonetheless a lot happier than minutes previous. "It's like you forget everything, and just keep spinning!" she lightly chuckled, though there was still that heavy note hidden in her voice, her gaze mildly serious. He shook his head.

"Well, if you get a cold, it'll be completely your fault. Come on, let's get you inside." She obeyed, slipping inside past him before he shut the door. He sighed, taking in that she was shivering slightly. "Only you, Eden, would go dancing in the rain at four in the morning."

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"That you're insane," he smirked. "Alright, we should find some dry clothes for you." She nodded, her smile not faltering even as she started to shiver again.

For the first time, he noticed a simply wrought, silver chain around her neck that lay on top of her homespun gray shirt that she must have found around Monteriggoni. It contained two circular, flat pieces of engraved metal on it.

"What are those? They don't look like decorations," he asked as he searched around the room. Leonardo had gone back to sleep and Ezio didn't wish to bother him. She looked down again, and raised her hand to play with the chain.

"They're dog tags. For the military back at home. The troops wear them as identification."

"You were in the army?" he furrowed his eyebrows, surprised.

"No, my boyfriend, Alex, was. They were brought to me when he died. Apparently, he listed me as his next of kin." She pursed her lips, like she did at any mention of her boyfriend. "A malfunction in the weaponry or something. Or some rookie going trigger happy. I don't remember anymore."

"Here," he handed her a dry shirt and trousers, and she nodded gratefully. Retreating to the back of the room, she used a shelf's door as cover as she changed, though he still looked away tactfully.

"Sorry for waking you up, by the way," she suddenly said from behind the shelf.

"That's fine. You sounded like you were in pain though. Are you alright?"

"Yes." There was a pause, "Now I am."

"And before?"

"I... I had a dream about my sister."

"Ah."

"She was yelling at me that it was all my fault. And then the point where I went in a rage, hunting down my mother's murderers. The knife in the stomach that became the turning point of everything."

"I'm sorry," he repeated his words from earlier, when they were talking about it.

"What for?" She finally emerged, hanging her soaking clothing on the same door she used as cover. He noted she did so carefully, so nothing would fall out of the pockets by accident.

"I shouldn't have brought it up, earlier."

"I've been having these dreams for some time, Ezio." She spoke his name softly, and he realized that he only heard her say it twice in the few month he knew her. "About a lot of things. My mom, Eve, Alex, my gang, what could of been. None of it is your fault. It's my own history that I live with."

"No one should have to."

She chuckled bitterly."Are you telling me the memories of your family's execution won't haunt you until the day you die?"

He slid down to sit in one of the arm chairs, resting his elbows on his knees. "Maybe they will. I'll never forget it, I'm sure, but sometimes... I stop thinking about it. Is that wrong?"

"No, and I envy you," she sighed, leaning onto Leonardo's desk beside the chair. "I wish there were times when I'd stop thinking about it all. It's been years, though."

There was a comfortable silence.

"Do you want a hug?" he suddenly asked, and, after a pause, she laughed.

"Of all the things... let me sulk in peace, will you?" she smirked, though she came over to the arm chair. He pulled her down onto his lap, his hands comfortably around her waist. She breathed deeply, her arms wrapping around his neck loosely.

They sat like that in silence. Her hair was still wet, he registered, but he didn't mind. Her breath was warm on his neck, her head lying peacefully on his shoulder. She still smelled like rain, apples and cherries, a uniquely pleasant combination. The quiet was comforting, granting them both solace. There was serenity in that moment, and he was almost afraid to break it.

"Mmm," she was the first to speak, after what seemed like hours. "So. Friends?"

He thought about it. Without even realizing it, she was already his friend, someone he trusted with nearly everything. She helped them out when she could have just left, aided complete strangers she had not ties to. And then she was with him while he was on this strange road, as if it was the most natural thing to keep an assassin company. A partner in crime, someone he could rely on, someone who put a smile on his face. Stating that would simply make it official.

"Friends," he repeated in agreement. That was enough. At least, for now.


	12. Chapter 11

The rain stopped by morning, though the skies remained gray and gloomy. The town was slowly recovering from the attack, most of the guards away from their posts, healing wounds. Many of the Pazzi guard were also gone, replaced by Lorenzo's men in their yellow and brown uniforms. Bodies were cleaned up during the night, and the rain washed away the blood that was smeared over the streets. Life in Florence was restarting again. Though most citizens were still in shock, it didn't stop them from walking down the street to talk to their neighbors and merchants about what happened. The city was even louder than usual, with all the gossip going around.

I didn't hear a word about Ezio and me, though. If anyone knew who was responsible for saving Lorenzo, and killing Francesco, they kept their mouths shut. I decided it was better that way. The Templars probably knew who did it, but this would at least give them some doubt.

"We should go see Lorenzo," Ezio said as we walked through the wet streets. I nodded, wrapping my cloak around me tighter. Thankfully, I didn't get sick after my little stunt in the middle of the night, though to tell the truth, that was most likely because Ezio kept me warm afterward. Grateful for the peacefully blank moment, I was left feeling affectionate and rather deferential towards the assassin

"Where would he be?"

"His house, I suspect. But before we go there... I want to show you something." He suddenly changed direction, walking around a corner. In confusion, I followed.

He brought me to a large square building, and with some hesitation, walked inside the small courtyard. I looked around curiously.

"What is this?"

"This was my house," he muttered, his voice lower than usual. "I'm surprised Lorenzo didn't give it to someone else by now. They barely even tried to fix it, it seems," I just noticed that the front door was missing, and there were blood stains on the ground.

"What happened, Ezio? You never told me the entire story," I asked, putting a hand on his forearm. His eyes flickered to me underneath his hood.

"I was running a few errands for my father. When I came home, I found the place ruined, Mother in shock, and Claudia and Annette frightened and in hiding," he sighed heavily as he walked through the empty doorway. I followed. "While they went to Annette's sister's house, which was the brothel we met at, I went to the prison to talk to my father."

I looked around the room. Vases were smashed on the floor, furniture was turned upside down, the wallpaper along the wall ripped and peeling. It wasn't dark- the morning sunlight lit up the room sufficiently. But a thick cover of dust had already settled on the expensive looking rugs.

"He told me to come back here, and open the secret door in his office," Ezio pointed at the fireplace, "In there, I found a chest with this armor, his sword and hidden blade. And the codex page that Leonardo used to fix this," he lifted his right arm, showing me his bracer. "Also in the chest was proof of a conspiracy against the Medici. As I left with everything, I was attacked by two guards. Rather than even bothering to arrest me, they tried to kill me right away." His expression darkened as he continued. "When they were…dealt with, I ran to Uberto's house."

His fists clenched, and I felt a great rush of sympathy for him as I listened, moving aside the furniture. On some strange impulse, I slid the table back against the wall and turned a couple of the chairs right side up. "He said he'd have my father and brothers freed the next morning. Instead, they received no trial I and heard him claim that he didn't know what my father was talking about. Then, he had them executed. And I could do nothing to stop him."

He watched me putting things in their right place in silence for a moment. And then began helping me, lifting the undamaged furniture.

"I'm not good at offering comfort," I slowly began. "The last time I tried, you thought I was insulting you."

"That seems like such a long time ago, now," he murmured. "It's only been a few weeks, however."

"Yes, but the most bizarre month I've ever had," I chuckled sadly. "Maybe you'll be able to come back here, after everything is done."

"This isn't going to end, Eden," he thoughtfully said, picking up the one vase that survived and putting it on the shelf. "And there won't be a reason for me to come back. This is a mere memory now. It's not the house I used to know, not without my family here."

"I know that feeling," I frowned slightly, remembering how it felt to come back to my apartment from the hospital. Cold. Empty. I felt like a guest in my own home.

"Do you?" he let out a heavy breath, "You said you hated your home from day one."

"It was still home and my family," I reminded him, "I hated the neighborhood and I hated the people around it. But I loved my family. Like you loved your family and Claudia and Maria."

We stood in silence for a moment, looking around the house. It was mostly cleaned up now, though the cold feeling didn't leave. Even as the warm rays of the sun illuminating the room did little alleviate the oppressive air of loneliness. I was never one to believe in ghosts or anything even resembling the supernatural. But one could tell that villa was devoid of any sort of familial comfort, at least for now.

"Why did we come here?" I swallowed, "To clean up?"

"Closure," he stated simply, and I suddenly understood. Revenge was not enough to say goodbye to the old ways of life, or even to those you loved who were lost forever. It played a part in finishing the chapter. But this was the final part of this stage of Ezio's former life.

"And what do you feel?" I wondered aloud. He thought about it.

"I'm not sure. But no worse, that's for sure."

"Well then, whenever you're ready," I took a deep breath, going to to stand by the doorway as he threw one last look around the building. After a while, he turned to me, giving a forlorn smile before following me out into the streets.

It was time to turn over a new leaf.

---

The beauty of Florentine architecture was still spectacular after all this time, the magnificence of the skyline constantly surprising me. It was amazing, considering some of those buildings didn't even exist in my time. Tall, pleasant houses, clean streets, mosaiced, bubbling fountains, classical statues and stunning murals gave it that unique feel of Italy.

I'd never been outside New York. But I always thought that if I managed to get out, I would travel. At one point, I even made a mental list of places I wanted to go. China, Russia, England, Germany... Sometimes I'd stop and laugh at myself, thinking that I'd need more than one lifetime to visit all of them. I also knew that it wouldn't matter where I went, it would still be the same as America- polluted, overcrowded, corrupted.

But this was something else entirely. No electricity, no cars, no firearms and advanced technology. The dress, the buildings, the guards, the weapons, the streets; it was all so beautiful and different, it took my breath away, and not for the first time.

The Medici palazzo, as they called the palaces, was a gigantic mansion, with white walls, carved statues and frames and elegantly iron-wrought balconies. We walked into the now open courtyard, looking for the captain of the guard, or Lorenzo himself. A passing maid told us that Lorenzo was out, however. But he was not far from there, on the bridge overlooking the Arno River. We could meet him there if we wished.

"You know, this is weird," I declared as a sudden thought came to mind. Blinking against the brightening afternoon sunlight, Ezio looked at me with surprise.

"What do you mean?"

"Well, you're an assassin, right?"

"...sure."

"And I'm technically one too."

"Right."

"And we just saved Lorenzo and killed a potential tyrant."

"Okay."

"Why does everyone hate the assassins so much, then? Shouldn't they make a life-size statue of you and worship it, giving sacrifices of virgins under twenty years old?"

"Eden, you're not making sense. Though I like this virgins idea, tell me more..." I shook my head at his grin.

"What I mean is, why is everyone so bent of hating you if you don't kill anyone who doesn't deserve it?"

"Who's to say who deserves it and who doesn't?" he suddenly countered, and I crossed my arms.

"You're missing the point. Francesco would have turned this place into hell, and you prevented that. Yet they're still afraid of you."

"Not just me," he gave me a pointed look.

"No, just you. Assassin in white, not 'some random woman tagging along,' Ezio."

"Are you jealous?"

"We're straying from the point again."

"That's because I don't know how to answer."

"Well, take a stab at it."

"....you _did not_ just use that pun."

I hummed. "No, I didn't."

"Good. But Eden, if you knew there was a killer on the loose, what would you think about him?"

"...I'm not the best person to ask that, you know."

"Neither am I. Ask that beggar," he pointed at a man clothed in rags sitting with his back against the wall of a building just in front of us. "See if he gives you a better answer," he snorted, and I frowned.

"You're right. Sorry."

"No need to apologize," he blithely declared, mood shifting back to casual. "I'd ask the same."

We walked in silence for a little as we stepped onto the bridge. Lorenzo was standing in the most visible spot, beside the railing overlooking the river.

"Well, you talk to him," I suddenly said, "I have some stuff to pick up."

He raised an eyebrow, "Eden, you helped save his life. I'm sure he'd want to thank you."

"No, seriously, I should go. This is really not my place. Send him my best and all that. And I didn't actually save his life. If you weren't around, then I wouldn't even have made it a few steps with him hanging off my shoulder."

"What, you won't even stay for the reward?" he asked slyly, and I glared.

"I'm not quite that greedy, you know."

"Oh, please, I see that gleam in your beady eyes. Just admit it."

"First of all, I don't have beady eyes! And I'm not admitting anything."

"Come on," he smirked, quickly taking me by the hand. If it'd been anyone else, I couldn't easily slipped out his grasp. But he was admittedly fast…and I was focusing on where Lorenzo stood at the moment. "I'd sure there's something you already picked out for yourself that you're just dying to buy." That made me freeze, my thoughts going to the dagger I was looking at two days ago.

"How did you know that?"

"I didn't. I took a stab at it," His smirk was infuriating. I glared at him some more, even as my resolve was weakening.

"I hate you, you know that?"

"Always, _mia piccola."_

---

"She's something," Lorenzo muttered, arching a questioning brow as Eden skipped off. Ezio stayed behind to straighten out a few details, while she bowed off, saying she had a certain tailor and armorer to visit. "Very strange."

"You haven't seen anything yet," Ezio agreed with a fleeting smile. He already long since noticed she had a slightly unhealthy obsession with her knives and weaponry in general. "But let's get back to the conspirators," he continued, expression swiftly becoming serious again.

"Of course. I've already named Jacobo's hit-men. I suspect they will be hiding around Tuscany."

"My uncle has men stationed in the countryside. I think I'll go back and talk to him about it. One of them _will_ talk before he dies." Ezio nodded, beginning to turn away when Lorenzo put his hand on his shoulder.

"I took this out of Francesco's files," he handed over a yellowed scroll into Ezio's hands. "I always had a fascination with things of antiquities... as did your father.

"It is meaningful to me as well," Ezio gratefully nodded.

"Then consider it a gift!" Lorenzo smiled. Placing his hands on Ezio's shoulders in a show of respect, he bowed his head. "Farewell and good luck finding Jacobo. May fortune smile upon you, _Signore _Auditore."

Ezio bowed in turn and walked off, heading back to Leonardo's. Eden would find her way back hopefully, though she had little knowledge of the streets.

---

I was very pleased, as now I had clothes to call my own that actually fit me. Including new trousers, a few tunics and a couple of doublets, I could better blend in with the crowd and no one would give me a second look. My newly bought dagger also bounced on my hip in its sheath, under the cloak. Lorenzo did offer a reward, even though I didn't expect there to be any in the first place. Not that I minded. With my half of it, I was able to buy the weapon and still have some left over.

Now, I just needed to find my way back to Leonardo's...

_I knew I forgot something_. Great, I was lost in Florence without Ezio. I vaguely remembered that it was in a general direction northeast of the bridge over the Arno, but... I moved through the street, hoping that something will trigger my memory. But so far, all the houses looked exactly the same, and I was starting to get nervous. I must have taken the wrong turn somewhere...

The solution came to me by itself. Actually, it didn't come, but more like roughly seized my arm through the cloak, and yanked me into the alley I was just passing. I gasped out of surprise.

"Alright, hand it over!" a low, male voice hissed, my eyes narrowing in reply. The hold on my arm didn't loosen. When I finally got used to the darkness of the alley way, I noted that there were only two of the robbers, and both had knives of questionable quality.

"Hand what over?" I asked innocently, while mentally calculating the distance between my free hand and the nearest weapon. I could easily twist my arm out of his grip, though I decided to wait a little longer. The thief holding me laughed.

"Don't play stupid! Hand over your money!"

"Well, that's no way to talk to a woman," I smiled, seeing their shocked expressions and that they were taken aback. They likely thought their victims were supposed to be screaming for help, not smiling in a cheerful way. They were probably novices as well, picking off women who were more likely to be paralyzed in fear and just hand everything over without question. How would they know that I spent my entire life in the backstreets? "You have to ask politely," I snorted, "And then I'll consider letting you run away."

He laughed again. "You're not in a position to make threats, _puttana_, so hand over every last florin you have!"

"Burk, maybe we should-" the second one started speaking, but the man holding me just waved him off.

"She can't do anything, now, can-" His next words were lost as I twisted my arms out of his grip in a fluid motion, hand snapping out and snatching _him _by _his _arm. At the same time, my other hand flew to my dagger, unsheathing it and driving it into the robber's calf quicker than he could let out a hiss of retort. I yanked it out, jumping away as he fell. Though not before I whirled around and pressed my weapon to the throat of the other man. Shoving him backwards, his back quickly smacked into the brick wall behind him.

Ignoring the pained howls of the first thief, I pleasantly asked, "You seem a reasonable fellow. Can you just tell how to get to Leonardo da'Vinci's workshop?" His mouth gaped like a fish, no sound coming from him. "Come on, just point me in the right direction and we can both skip off on our merry way."

"You- you w-were g-going the r-right way," he stuttered, "He's on the ne- next street."

"Good boy. Now shoo," I lowered the dagger, stepping back. He booked it further into the alley, and I stared after him thoughtfully, before sighing. "Of all the people you could have robbed, you picked the one woman that was armed." Barely sparing a glance to the thief on the ground who was still moaning loudly, I walked back the way I originally came, heading to the workshop.

_Silly cutthroat._ They'd collect him later- I knew where I stabbed, and I knew he'd survive if he got help within two days…though he'll probably have a bit of a limp for the rest of his life. But that would teach him to think twice before robbing a lone woman walking down the street. Or at least hold them down in a decent attempt to snatch some florins off of them.

I shook the blood off my new dagger, and returned it to the sheath. The money was well spent- it was almost an extension of my hand. Moving through clothing and flesh as if through warm butter, there was almost no resistance. It was a dangerous toy, and I don't blame the blacksmith for keeping it under the counter for so long.

It wasn't long before I saw the familiar house, and walked inside.

"Leo?" I called, "Have you seen- Ah, there you are," I noticed Ezio sitting in one of the chairs, probably half asleep. Leo was fluttering around his table, one of Ezio's bracers taken apart. He seemed to be in the middle of hollowing out the blade.

"Eden?" Ezio looked up, and waved in greeting. I came over and sat beside him.

"What's he doing?" I jerked my head in Leonardo's direction. He didn't even seem to notice me walk in, completely engulfed by his work.

"Lorenzo gave me another codex. Apparently that blade can deliver poison if worked correctly."

"Poison?"

"Yes. Would you have any, by chance?" he asked, and I mentally went through the contents of my bag.

"I think so...only one bottle though, and it's not exactly poison, more like a toxin. I had it in case I ever needed to play dead."

"Why would you need to do that?"

"You never know." I shrugged. "Anyway, it reduces heart beat rate, putting you in a death-like coma. Got it illegally, and paid an arm and a leg for it, but..." I made a vague gesture with my hand.

"Hm. The strange things you buy," he said thoughtfully.

"Like I said, you never know what you might need," I offered him a fleeting grin, "The only problem is, they might bury me before I wake up. Then I'd be dead for real."

"Really now?" he asked sarcastically. I snorted. I was actually planning to use the poison in case any more of my friends died, to get away from Larry. But I ended up here before Jake kicked the bucket, so it was still tucked away in my bag, in a padded pocket, "Anyway, we're heading back to Monteriggoni. There are five people in Tuscany that need attention."

"I'm all ears."

"Apparently, Jacobo hired four hit men."

I tried to remember who it was that attacked Lorenzo and his brother. "The priests and bankers?"

"Right. They're all in league with the Templars."

"Lovely, more people who are out to get us," I leaned back in the chair, closing my eyes. "How are we going to find them?"

"Uncle has people there. He should point us in the right direction."

"Are we storming the place the minute we get there, or do we have a few days to rest?"

He laughed. "I think we have some time. It'll take at least a few days, if not weeks to actually track them down."

"Well, I'm looking forward to it. I liked Tuscany. It had unfriendly guards, and a generally depressing feel to it, but other than that, it was great. We didn't do enough sight seeing during the attack on it, you know."

"I wonder why. It might have been the part where we wanted to assassinate the commander..."

"You know, Ezio, you make the phrase "They're out to get me," true."

"Do forgive me for doing my job."

"You're forgiven. I'm part of it, remember?"

"Sadly."

"Oh, hush," I waved. Pausing, I suddenly remembered something. "Oh, yeah! Here," I produced a rolled up piece of paper from under my cloak.

"Where the hell do you keep that stuff?" he asked, taking the paper from me. I smirked.

"Don't ask," He unrolled the poster, raising an eyebrow. "Look familiar?"

"Surprisingly enough, yes. The artist did a good job." he tilted his head a little. "Fifty thousand florins for my head?"

"Yep."

"Templars' work?"

"Most likely. Lorenzo can't do anything about these, I suspect, or it would look like covering up for an assassin. These are all over town. I'm insulted though," I pouted as he rolled the poster up neatly again. "I helped too."

He laughed. "Oh, yes, it is an enviable thing, having every citizen potentially want to capture and kill me. Lucky me."

"But seriously, though, they could have at least mentioned me somewhere." He chuckled again, and reached over to ruffle my hair. I ducked from under his hand out of habit.

"Don't worry, _mia piccola_, I'm sure that sooner or later they will recognize your efforts. Then you can have the pleasure of having your portraits hung around the city and random people attempting to stalk and kill you."

"It's finished!" Leonardo suddenly exclaimed, and I nearly fell off my chair, startled. Ezio snorted at my expression, taking the bracer from the painter. "I loaded it with a doze of poison for you. If you run out, just visit a doctor."

"A doctor?" Ezio furrowed his eyebrows, putting the hidden blade on his right arm.

"That which cures can also kill in high enough dozes."

"I knew it! It's all a conspiracy!" I muttered, standing up.

---

"Eden..."

"Yes?" I turned to Ezio, away from my horse.

"Why do you have blood on you?"

"I do? Hm," I looked down to find that I did, indeed have blood on me. "Must have been that robber."

"What are you talking about?"

"Oh, there was this one prick that tried to take my money on my way to Leonardo's," I shrugged, and went back to securing my bag to the horse's saddle. It shifted slightly, snorting, but other than that, completely ignored me.

"Will the poor man recover?"

"How do you know I didn't kill him?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You'd have a lot more blood on you if you did," he threw a glance up and down my body. "But the stain is pretty low. Leg?"

"Yep," I nodded. "It was his fault, anyway. He only held one of my arms, and didn't even shut my mouth."

"Heh," he chuckled as he lightly got in the saddle of his own horse. I followed suit "When will they learn?"

"Learn what? How to eat with a spoon, or how to shove the said spoon up their nose?"

He snorted. "No, I meant that if you see a girl by the name Eden anywhere within eye sight and with weapons, run for your life."

"Hey! Like I said, it was his fault! I would have walked right past without even noticing them!"

"Sure, keep telling yourself that."

"You're mean." I leaned towards him, and poked him on the arm. He gasped dramatically, clutching at his arm, as if in pain.

"No! My life is flashing before my eyes! Is this the end?! I don't want to die young! This beautiful face will have gone to waste for on nothing!"

"Ezio." The drastic change in my voice must have tipped him off, because he opened his eyes and looked at me.

"What is it?"

I nodded my head towards the road, licking my lips nervously. He followed my gaze, and I heard a sharp intake of breath.

"What the-" he broke off, and swallowed hard, paling.

"Alright, whatever you do, don't look down," I suddenly commanded. And, of course, he just had to look down the moment I said that.

"What is that?"

"I told you not to look."

"What the fuck is that, Eden?!"

"I think it might be a liver," my lip trembled slightly. He stared at the said organ for a few more moments in shock, and then jerked the reins, pulling the horse away from it.

"A liver?!"

"Yes." I looked away from him as he bent over and turned his stomach inside out, leaning out of his saddle. The horses shifted nervously. I slid to the ground. Since Ezio was obviously a little busy at the time, I got the... hm, pleasant job of finding out what happened.

I felt bile rise up in my throat as I leveled with the first corpse. It was a soldier, his armor torn to shreds, and... yep, the gaping hole in his torso proved that it was his liver that Ezio's horse stepped on. There were about ten bodies lying on the road and beside it, some in decent condition, others with their limps cleanly chopped off. Then there were those who looked as if they were mauled by animals. There were a few horses too, in the same condition as the bodies.

"There's a few arrows. They must have walked into an ambush," I said thoughtfully, trying my hardest not to throw up. After all, I've seen corpses before, even drowning in their own blood, sometimes. But this was a thousand times more morbid. They couldn't have been dead for very long, as the crows barely started gathering, and someone would have found them by this time.

I knelt down beside one body that was not equipped in armor, like the others. His neck and face were barely visible under all the blood, and he was clutching at his bag in a death grip (Please forgive me the pun). Shuddering inside, I took that bag away from him.

"Ezio? Are you alright?" I asked with concern, but he didn't respond, gripping his stomach and mouth, though he seemed to have already forced all his breakfast out. "Come on, let's get out of here. We'll talk to Mario when we get to the villa."

He nodded gratefully, and I took his horse by the reins, holding my own as well and leading us through the cleanest spot. "Come one, deep breaths. Don't look at them. Focus on something else." I chewed on my lip. He grunted. "One of them was a messenger." I held up the bloodied bag. He didn't reply, as if afraid that if he tried to, he'd end up vomiting again. We were just past the scene now, and I headed further along the road, wanting to get away from there as fast as possible.

"This makes no sense," I declared after a minute, "If it was an ambush, supposedly for whatever the messenger was carrying, what the hell was the point?"

"To get whatever he was carrying?" he offered.

"You're not helping - obviously, that was the reason. What I mean, is, whatever it was, it must have been really important. There isn't usually that many guards with messengers, right? So why did they leave the bodies out?"

He seemed to feel better now that we were away from the scene. Even I felt very sick at the sight, and I was at this for longer than him. He was actually holding up well, though I couldn't say that for the contents of his stomach.

"They just... left them for the crows," he suddenly muttered angrily, and I slumped my shoulders.

"That's what you're worried about? I'm a little more concerned about the attackers still being around. Whatever mauled those poor soldiers were definitely not swords and arrows, and probably not humans. If they took down a group that big without any losses..."

"Some sort of animal?"

"I think so. I'm not sure dogs would be savage enough to do that, but I guess that depends on the training and how much you starve them…wait a moment," my eyes widened, "There _were_ dogs that day that I was in the market. Five of them, some sort of new breed, or something. But those puppies looked like they could easily swallow you whole. Seems like they only prefer entrails, though..." I stopped talking as he paled further. "Hey," reaching over, I put a calming hand on his knee, "Don't worry, we'll tell Mario when we get to Monteriggoni. He can send a message to Lorenzo, or something. The bodies will be taken care of."

He nodded stiffly. I finally gave him back the reigns to his horse, and then climbed back up onto my own. "I have just never seen such disrespect for the dead. Not only ambushed and... mauled, but just left out, for the animals. And for what?"

I looked down at the messenger's bag in my hands, opening it, and searching through. Unlike its owner, there was no blood on the inside or on the papers. I tried to shift through them and holding on to the reins at the same time.

"Mostly letters... Nothing really that important... a few complaints to the Medici... This must have been sent out before the attack, this one is for Lorenzo's brother." I furrowed my eyebrows. "What could be so important as to attack a heavily armed squad? Though by the looks of it, they had no problems."

"We should get these to my uncle. He'll know what to do with them."

"Sure," I spotted something, though. "Wait a moment. "

There was a secret compartment at the bottom of the bag, underneath the papers. I barely noticed the black string. Familiar with this type of hiding spot, I pulled gently, and after a few seconds, the bottom began to peel off.

"They should have taken the entire bag, it seems." I hummed, as I pulled out a few more letters stashed there. "These are still intact. Oh, dear."

"What?" Ezio tried to look inside the bag, curious now.

"This... this is really important stuff," my eyes widened as I read the names on the envelopes. "From the Duke of Milano to Lorenzo... This one is to the Archbishop of Florence, who I believe was one of the conspirators, yes?"

"That's right. Is there anything else?"

"Yes," I suddenly froze as I picked up another package. This one was fatter, and had something shifting inside of it. By the sound of it, I'd say a necklace. A very heavy one. And possibly very expensive. "We really need to get these to Mario." Before I screw morals and steal it. Old habits die hard, they say.

"Lets get on it, then."

There were no objections to that.

---

"Ah, Monteriggoni. Still depressing as ever," I thought out loud. As we walked through the town, people nodded their heads, recognizing the master of the villa. Or, the master's relative. I don't know how these things work.

Anyway, I noted with some surprise that a few of the buildings were being rebuilt and fixed. Like the old church that we passed on our way was definitely boarded up before had workers filling in the holes in the walls and laying down the roof. The cross, which was taken down temporarily, was leaning on some cart beside the building.

"What's going on? I thought you Uncle didn't have the time and money to fix this town up," I asked, furrowing my eyebrows in confusion. Ezio shrugged.

"He didn't. I gave the architect the money my father left in his office."

"Hm," I hummed in thought as we neared the steps leading to the villa. I cheerfully waved to the mercenaries in the rink, and one of them tried to hide behind the other at the sight of us.

"Ser Ezio, Signora," The leader gave a respectful nod in greeting, which we returned. I looked towards the man in the rink again.

"How's you nose? Healing properly, I hope?" I asked with the most innocent expression of concern I could manage. Ezio gave a cough that sounded suspiciously like a laugh. The mercenary glared at me, and didn't reply.

"I see the repairs are going great," Ezio motioned in the direction of the church.

"Yes, the architect was very eager to get to work once he had the money. The town is still far from perfection, but there are definitely more travelers that pass through here." He looked over us, his eyes sliding over the cut on my cheek and the bandage on Ezio's arm. Then he stared at the blood soaked bag in my hands. "And what news do you bring?"

"Good and bad ones. Is Uncle in his study?"

"Yes," the mercenary nodded, and we headed up the stairs further.

---

"What?!" Mario leaned forward sharply. I flinched. "Are you sure?!"

"I've seen them myself," I nodded. "I don't know why they paraded through the town like that, but they were definitely real, and very dangerous."

"This is not good." The messenger's bag lay opened on his desk, all the contents out. He looked through the papers as he listened to me. Ezio decided to let me do the talking, as even a reminder of the scene made him very uneasy.

"There were at least ten fully armed men there, and they were all killed. The attackers didn't lose any people at all."

"How do you know that?"

"The men that I saw in Florence were wearing different colors. There was no orange on the dead."

"But... soldiers from Rome? They must have came with Borgia. But what could they possibly have wanted."

"I don't have the faintest idea. I didn't even know they were from Rome until now," I shrugged, unsure what to say. "And I also don't get why they left the bag behind."

"Maybe they weren't after the letters?" Ezio suddenly suggested.

"But what else could they take? None of this makes any sense." I sighed.

"Well, I will contact Lorenzo, and these will be delivered. Hopefully he'll overlook the somewhat tense relations for this." Mario concluded. "We'll investigate. Now go and get some rest. I'm sure you're both tired."

I let out a relieved breath, standing up, and began to leave. I stopped to throw Ezio a questioning look, but he didn't move, and I remembered he wanted to talk to Mario about the conspirators that got away. I shrugged, and walked out the door, heading to the room I used the last time we were here. Considering the two scratches on my back, and the two wounds on Ezio's arm and shoulder blade, we'd be staying here for a little longer.

---

When Ezio finally came out of his Uncle's study, he witnessed a rather... interesting scene in the entrance hall. Eden stood with her arms crossed, staring down a tall man he vaguely remembered as Lars. He was at least a head taller than the girl, and yet she still managed to look more menacing compared to him.

"-I said you can go and throw yourself off a cliff, Lars!"

"How dare you-?!" he yelled back.

"What is going on?" Ezio asked tiredly, somewhat afraid for the man's health if this continued.

"Oh, nothing," she shrugged, still glaring at Lars. "He was just leaving," she continued forcefully, and the man stared at her, furious. He then looked at Ezio, turned around, and stormed out of the front door. Immediately, Eden calmed down, all her anger disappearing.

"What did he want?" he wondered, coming closer.

"He claims that I agreed to be his... hm, girlfriend the last time we were here. He also tried to convince me that we got married," she threw the statement crossly, and he was stunned. "But come on! Who in their sane mind would let us get married when we were that wasted? Or did the priest indulge a bit, too? Besides, I would remember something like that."

"So are you sure you're not married, then?" he raised an eyebrow, and she crossed her arms, her face thoughtful.

"Even if we did, I don't give a crap. I refuse to even acknowledge it. If he comes near me again, though, I warn you, I'll get violent."

"I'm surprised you haven't already. He's awfully persistent."

"Anyway," Eden waved a hand, "I don't know what I saw in him in the first place."

"I thought he reminded you of your boyfriend?"

"Yeah, they look a lot alike, but that only means anything when you're very drunk," she stated. "If I liked him in any way when sober, I'd actually stick around instead of kicking him down the stairs."

_Stick around?_ he thought with confusion as she continued, "Anyway, we should get some sleep. Go on, you still look a bit sick."

_"She stuck around with me, didn't she? What does that mean?"_


	13. Chapter 12

I traced my finger over the titles on the books, but none caught my eye. There were many in the library in Monteriggioni villa: books on weaponry, on history, science, technology. But there were nearly none on biology.

Those dogs I saw back in Florence never left my mind. Huge, powerful, blood thirsty, they were a concept of nightmares, something you definitely do not want to see in real life. Then again, could you call this real? Maybe this was all in my head as it is. Italy, Florence, Monteriggioni, assassins, Templars, swords and armor. It was all a part of surreal history, almost fantasy-like. I still wasn't sure if this was a dream or not. But I still hadn't woken up despite that it'd been weeks...

"What are you looking for?" Mario's voice sounded from behind me, and I turned to face him sharply. I calmed down in a moment, and responded.

"Any book on dog breeds."

"I'm afraid I don't have anything like that," he sighed, sitting down behind his desk and gesturing me to the seat in front of it.

"I never seen anything like them, they are a whole new breed. But you can't get something out of nothing," I explained, and he listened with interest. "So if they crossed different kinds of dogs and I could identify, it would give us at least an idea of how to deal with them."

"That is a wise move, but like I said, there's nothing in here on dogs. Would you be able to draw them?"

I shook my head, "I can't draw. But they were about twice the size of a hunting hound, and twice as muscled. It's very easy to recognize them."

"Hm," he looked out the window thoughtfully.

"I don't even know who could manage to breed something like that. It must require special equipment, and changing genetics, and a lot of things that shouldn't even-" I stopped abrubtly, and he looked at me expectantly. "Shouldn't be possible," I tried to cover up for my mistake. He most likely didn't believe me, but he didn't question it.

"I wonder, though; why would they attack the messenger, only to leave all his belongings on him?" he thought out loud, and I shrugged.

"I can't think of any reason."

"Then I suggest you leave it from your mind for now. No reason to lose sleep over it. And who knows? Maybe the answer will come unexpectedly," Mario smiled at me. I grinned back, standing up to leave.

"Can you tell me about these?" I suddenly stopped, my eye catching the scattered codex pages on the wall.

"The codices? They are mostly instructions and teachings that Altair passed down," Mario seemed a little surprised. I came closer to the wall, examining the yellowed paper.

"Altair..." I muttered, as if tasting the name, "Ezio mentioned him."

"He was our ancestor. From what we could find out, he lived around three centuries ago."

"Ah," the one part of history I did listen to, "During the Crusades?"

"Yes, the third one. He was the one to kill Robert de'Sable, the leader of the Templars back then. He also recovered the Apple of Eden from the master of the Assassin order when he betrayed them."

"This Apple of Eden I keep hearing about," I turned back to Mario, raising an eyebrow, "What is it? Is it an actual part of a mythological place, or just simply a name?"

"We're not sure," he answered seriously, "It is very powerful though. The one that holds it can bend the wills of others. Not mention many more things I don't even know about."

"And where is it now?"

He looked at the codices, somewhat sadly. "According to our sources, it is hidden. But I think the Templars may be onto it by now. It's only a matter of time before they get their hands on it."

A sudden thought came to mind. "Are there more?"

"Yes."

"And these things are able to do nearly anything?"

"Theoretically, yes."

So that meant that time travel would be possible... the entire reason I'm here, then? Perhaps. I made a mental note to talk to Ezio about it later. Meanwhile, Mario continued. "We need all the help we can get if they get the Pieces. That's why Ezio is so important. So please keep an eye on him." He already leaned over his papers again, dabbing his quill into some ink.

"I intend to. And…Mario, thank you for telling me everything. This is obviously not something easily shared with anyone." He looked up with some surprise, as I stood in the doorway, my expression somewhat embarrassed. "I mean, just because I have a marking of an assassin doesn't mean you could trust me, and yet you do. I just...wanted to tell you that I appreciate it. Trust is not something I'm very used to," I bobbed my head awkwardly. Mario smiled slightly, his one good eye looking at me with a friendly gaze.

"Eden, I would not call you good and pure. Please don't take any offense from that, but I know when a person is trustworthy. A good will is not something easily faked. I think your father knew that when he gave you that tattoo." That made me freeze.

"How would you-"

"Call it a lucky guess." He bent back down to his desk, and I took it as a dismissal, even though I still had at least a hundred questions spinning in my head.

---

I leaned on to the door frame, a light smile on my face as I watched Ezio take Claudia's quill away from her. Mario pushed a lot of paperwork onto her since we decided we were staying in the villa. She was not very happy with that, but now it seemed that she actually got into the habit of recording everything. And I mean _everything_. The money there was, the buildings repairs progress, the weapons in the armory, the things people bought, the things they sold here. Sometimes she got a little carried away and began counting those white feathers that Ezio brought his mother.

"Ezio, give it back, I have work to do!" she exclaimed, reaching for the quill, but he jumped out of her reach, laughing.

"Not until you go outside and take a walk or something. It's like you haven't moved from this desk ever since we left!"

"I have too! Come, on, just give it back!" They started circling around the desk.

"Now, now, Claudia, you'll have to try better than that."

"Ha!" she crossed her arms defiantly,. "I can just get a new one, you know."

"Ah, but can you get another record book?" he asked, and suddenly lunged for the said book, taking it off the desk, and jumping back a few steps.

"Come on, Ezio, don't be a child and give me the book and quill back," she asked again, getting somewhat desperate. I sighed very quietly. They were close. I've never seen such a warm sibling relationship between two people- siblings generally didn't get along, at least in modern times. But here, it was somewhat heartwarming.

They were laughing now, and Claudia was still chasing him around the small office. But he was a lot quicker and she was wearing a dress, which restrained her movements greatly. They barely noticed me, engulfed in their game. But when they came closer to me, Claudia suddenly shouted, "Quick, Eden! Grab it!"

I laughed and obeyed, joining in and reaching for the book as he held it away from Claudia and towards me. He realized what was happening not a moment too late, and suddenly it was out of my reach. I smiled, suddenly slipping past him and jumping in the air, and the book was in my hands. I took a quick step away from him before he could grab me, laughing. Claudia smiled at me gratefully, and reached for the book, but I had different plans.

"I don't think so!" I then made my way out the door with the book before either of them realized what I was doing. Then I heard more laughter as they ran after me.

Outside, I took a quick glance around and made a dash for the steps leading down. But instead of running down them, I hopped over the rail, landing on the ground lightly, under the confused glances of the mercenaries and villager, only to continuing running through the town. A quick look over my shoulder told me that Ezio was still behind me, and he did not look like he was going to give up. Claudia was standing on the platform above the training rink, following us with her eyes. She probably couldn't keep up with us, anyway, so she didn't even try to give chase.

I narrowly avoided smashing into a full lady walking down the street, though I threw her off balance as I raced past, and she made a surprised squeak as she fell. Obviously I didn't stop to see if she was okay, and made for the gates, thanking whatever gods were tuned in that the town was so small.

Ezio finally caught up with me when I began to slow down, out of breath, outside of the town walls. He tackled me by the waist and onto the grass, quickly rolling us over so he was on top. I narrowed my eyes, clutching the book to my chest.

"Are you going to give it back now?" he panted, and yet his voice was still joking. I mock-glared.

"Never!" I made a quick motion of sliding one of my legs from under him, and with my knee pushing him into the side of his chest, managed to get him off me. Swiftly changing our positions, now I was on top. "You didn't actually think it was going to be that easy, did you?"

"Well, I was beginning to get disappointed," he sighed, "But I see you're still on top."

"Of course," I laughed, "And quite literally, too," I glanced back at the walls of the town. "At least we got her out of the house for more than two seconds."

"She spends all her time over this book now," he didn't rush me to get off him for some reason. "Considering she was so against working when we got here."

"Well, no offense, but there's nothing to do around here," I sat back, crossing my arms over the tome. "There aren't that many options, unless she gets herself a man. But she seems a little anti-male right now."

"You can't blame her. Her last suitor cheated on her," he looked past me, to the sky.

"Ah, yes, what was his name...Duccio? The one you beat up?"

"She told you that, did she?"

"Yep." I thought about it for a moment. "You know, my sister had a boyfriend once, before all the madness began. She was only twelve, but she claimed she loved him."

"And what happened?" he raised an eyebrow with interest.

"The usual story. She thought it would last, he chased after the next tail that came along, and I kicked his ass for making Eve cry. He came crawling back to her with an apology," I smiled at the memory. "I'm not sure what happened afterward. But I never saw him again, so I think my sister told him to hit the road."

"And she was twelve?" he asked with disbelief. I shrugged.

"Things are different in the future. Girls don't have to get married, or have children. They work and go to schools. They can actually pick who to date or not. They can leave men as quickly as they leave them. And they can delude themselves into thinking they're in love when they don't even know what love is yet."

"You think Eve deluded herself?"

"Do you think Claudia did when she was with Duccio? She can't be older than sixteen," I countered. He chuckled as I finally rolled off of him, jumping to my feet. "Come on," I continued, reaching down a hand and nodding as he grabbed it and pulled himself to his feet, "Let's get this back to her before she calls for a hunting party."

---

I watched as Ezio practiced in the rink with one of the mercenaries. There was nothing better to do at the moment. Without his cloak, hood or armor and in just a thin tunic and usual pants and boots, I can't say I didn't enjoy the view. I even asked if Claudia wanted to come along, but she looked at me like I was completely insane and went back to her precious book.

When they finally stepped away from each other, panting, but satisfied and leaned onto the rails, I stood up.

"Can I get a turn?" I smiled brightly at the two of them, and they stared.

"Eden, you're no good with a sword." Ezio reminded me, and I shrugged.

"I won't use one. I'm more comfortable with knives, anyway. What do you say?" I raised an eyebrow, and he chuckled.

"If you're so sure... I'll try to go easy on you."

"Please don't," I hopped over the fence, while the mercenary left the inside of the rink, but stayed along the outside edges of it. He wanted to see this. In a flash, I withdrew one of my daggers, the one that was sheathed in the small of my back, and held it in reverse grip. Ezio shook his head to himself with a light smirk. "I hate to be underestimated," I smirked in return, "Shouldn't you know this by now?"

There was no trigger, no signal- it simply began and we started moving simultaneously. First we just circled around each other, though I was already in my position. I was the one to attack first, dodging his arm easily, and slipping by his side. He deflected the blade as it came at his stomach, and moved away so he faced me again. My light smile never left my lips, even as I focused fully on my movements.

Very soon, I got into the familiar dance. Not even trying to deflect his blade, but rather just not being there when it struck, using the openings he gave me to make my own hits. I kept my breathing carefully regulated, while his became slightly heavier. It was easy for me, with years of practice. One target who thought me weaker than him was no challenge. The one thing that Larry ever truly gave to me, even if his intentions were to turn me into one of his weapons. I wielded the short blade as if it was an extension of my arm.

At one point, I stopped holding back. Ezio was taken aback by the sudden increase of speed, and his movements became a little more frenzied. I took his blade onto mine, holding it away to the side, and hooked my foot around his ankle, my free hand pushing him down. He didn't expect that, and fell onto the ground while I held the blade to his throat.

I smiled pleasantly, and he glared. I stepped away from him. "Come on, let's go again."

And we did. And again and again, he ended up on the ground, or disarmed, or with my knife at his throat, though the fight lasted longer and longer each time. But my only advantage over men like him hadn't failed me to this point. Each time, I'd step away, he'd recover, and we started again. As we sparred, we began gathering a crowd around us. Mercenaries, mostly, and a few curious villagers.

"What I don't understand," he gritted out when he fell down for the fifth time. "Is how the hell you manage to do that."

"Years of practice. But rest easy with the knowledge that things would be quite different if I was trying to fight with a sword," I smiled merrily, and to my surprise, he returned the smile. "There's a moral in there somewhere. Like, don't underestimate girls with sharp objects."

"And also, if you see Eden with a sharp object, run in the opposite direction."

"Hush," I steadily replied, holding out a hand and grinning as he took it and moved back to his feet, "Let's go again."

---

"Ezio," his uncle began speaking as he turned away from the window, "You have to do something with Eden."

"What do you mean?" Ezio raised an eyebrow, "I though you were alright with her."

"I am. But did you know that in the last few days she fixed every wobbly chair, table, cabinet and other furniture in the entire villa?"

"How's that a bad thing?"

"I'm a little afraid of what she'll start doing once she runs out of things to fix," Mario said seriously, and Ezio smiled.

"She's just bored. Eden can't stay in one position for too long," he chuckled at his uncle's slightly fearful expression.

"Well, you need to find a way to occupy her, then, before she starts getting... creative in her entertainment."

"What do you propose I do?"

"I don't know, _nipote_, but whatever you do, do it quick. We don't want anymore accidental marriages."

Ezio sighed. Eden was unpredictable. Though his uncle was wrong- this time, it wouldn't be a supposed drunken marriage. It would be a full-blown explosion or whatever else her unoccupied mind could come up with.

He found her walking back and forth on the thick railing above the fighting rink, her hands stretched out on either side of her.

"Eden, _che cosa?!_" he asked. She glanced at him, losing her concentration for a second but regaining her balance quickly.

"I know, right? The stupid workers have been drinking since midday, yet they haven't even invited me to join them!" she pouted, but didn't stop walking along the stone fence.

"I mean why are you up there?" he sighed. He learned that when talking to her, you had to be patient, or you'd lose your sanity fast.

"Because the view here is awesome!" she laughed lightly. "Seriously, you can see the opposite wall from here."

With sudden inspiration, he stated, "The view is better at the top of the villa, you know." She looked at him thoughtfully, and then suddenly lost her balance. Flailing her arms in a vain attempt to fly, she started falling. Quick as lightning, he caught her, setting her upright.

She smiled in thanks, saying, "Yeah, but those frames are annoying as hell. The splinters take ages to get out," she contradicted him. "Last time I tried, I ended up getting one in my shoulder blade. Don't ask how, but it took a long time to get out."

"Then there's got to be something else for you to do. Uncle is already worried you'll start breaking furniture so you'd have something to do."

"I wouldn't do that!" Eden crossed her arms. "And those chairs were driving me mad! Always creaking and wobbling..." she shuddered, and he couldn't help but grin. "Besides, there's nothing to do here! The sooner Mario's men find the conspirators, the better."

"How about we get to those lessons you wanted to teach me?" he suddenly asked, "The sneaking and stabbing and all that."

"Hm," she ran a hand absently through her short hair. "We need a dummy then. Preferably alive, though I can work with dead ones."

"Well, I probably can't find a dead one for you, but I'm sure one of the mercenaries will help out. As long as we don't hurt him," he hurried to add. She smiled widely.

"Then sure!" Then a thought seemed to strike her. "Hey, do you think Lars would let us practice on him?"

"I really, _really_ doubt it."

---

"Okay, so," I extended Ezio's arm, rolling back the sleeve. We didn't find a willing mercenary, so he allowed me to show the simple pressure points on him. He looked at me with some distrust, but didn't pull away. "Alright, there are about three or four near the elbow."

"Four?"

"Yes, they're close together, but give different results. So here we have one..." I traced the skin very lightly at the tip of the muscle on his forearm. "You can hit it at three angles. Straight down…" I demonstrated, and he moved his shoulder blade backwards reflexively. "Or you had go upwards or downwards on it. Really simple, and useful if someone is throwing a punch at you, or trying to strangle you or something. You hit the point, and it will weaken their arm, giving you the pause to counter," I glanced up, meeting his eyes. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Nothing," he smiled fleetingly, and I felt a strange, somewhat familiar tug in my chest. "Alright, this sounds simple enough." He looked down to his arm, where my hands still rested.

"Trust me, it's very effective. How do you think I disarmed you so easily?"

"Ah, yes, I was wondering that. I didn't notice you strike anywhere particular though."

"Well, I did. Generally these points cause a lot of pain, and weaken the parts of the body temporarily," I continued. "Watch," I hit the elbow, and in result, his knees bent, his body going back slightly in reflex, at which I hooked my leg with his knee and pushed down farther onto his chest.

"That was uncalled for," he muttered from the ground, and I laughed.

"The best way to learn is to experience. Just keep these things in mind if you find yourself without a weapon, or being strangled. Or when you didn't even get the chance to draw your weapon."

"And when I get them off me, what do I do?"

"What you would normally. Keep punching until they're knocked out," I shrugged, "Or take their weapon, if they have one, and use it against them." I extended my hand to him, helping him get up. "Some people are stronger than you, but that doesn't mean they'll always have the upper hand. Sometimes you don't need strength to win."

"When did I hear that before?" he grumbled, and I chuckled again.

"Probably a lot of places. I stole it from Jake, he was the one to teach me this. Anyway, most of the joints are pressure points, you just need to know where to strike. You're a big boy, you can probably break someone's leg easily by kicking their knee caps, but I can't. So, I do this..." I slid under the arm that I still held, and kicked at the backs of his knees, pulling him down again.

"Okay, Eden, I'm getting tired of ending up on the ground all the time." He was beginning to get irritated, and I grinned.

"Oh, as if you don't spend most of your time on your back anyway,"

"Beds are softer than the ground, you know." He stood up and moved away from me, as if afraid I'd knock him down again.

"Then I'm sure this is a nice change of pace for you. Besides, no one said this was going to be comfortable."

"I'd say. My entire arm is sore now."

"It'll pass in a few moments." I sat beside him on the bench as he leaned back to look at the sky.

"It's getting dark."

I was shocked to find out he was right. "Holy crap... Time does fly when you're having fun, doesn't it?"

"Maybe you're having fun knocking me down, but I'm not enjoying it very much." he grumbled again. I grinned widely, pulling up my legs to sit cross-legged on the bench.

"This was your idea," I reminded him.

"Ending up on my back twice in two minutes was definitely not my idea," he suddenly sighed, "But thank you for teaching me. It might come in useful."

"We're just getting started, my little assassin! Just wait until we get to torture!" Shooting me a horrified look, his eyes widened. "Woah, there, I'm just kidding! Entrails smell really bad when they're on fire, and I don't think your uncle will appreciate us sticking up the villa." As he sighed with relief, I smirked, "Oh, geez, you have such a weak stomach. Anyway, I was just kidding!"

---

"Alright, now," Mario instructed Ezio as we circled each other, "Read her movements, look for signals in her actions. Observe her strategies."

I didn't like this entire exercise, considering this was like giving away all my secrets. Letting someone learn my way of fighting was a dangerous thing. The old principles urged me to be more careful in the way I moved, but I forced myself to calm down. Ezio was my friend, and I was trying to help him. This is not the time for distrust.

I attacked first, like I usually did in single combat. Provoking him to defend himself before backing away again, he'd automatically go on the offensive. Generally that's where I'd start to slip past his defenses, hitting the key points with either my knife or my body. But he was more ready now, having learned the techniques I used. Every time I'd try anything, he intercepted me before I could do any harm.

While my key advantage was speed and strategy, he was strong, agile, and smart. While I had years of experience on him, he was still a very capable man. And let's not forget that his uncle taught him as much as he could during the weeks we stayed at the villa. I couldn't actually harm him, though stabbing would make everything a lot easier.

As I ducked under his arm as he struck, attempting to move behind him. But his free hand shot out just in time, catching my elbow and yanking me to him. Without warning, my back was flat against his chest, and his sword darted back to hover at my neck. I was not about to give up, though and there was still a window open. I twisted my arm out, elbowed him in the stomach, and brought my dagger to stand in between his blade and my skin. It allowed me some seconds respite, giving me the chance to get away again. And the dance started again.

"That was certainly..." I licked my dry lips as I climbed to sit on the stone rail. I was exhausted; we've been trying to see who would get the upper hand for hours by that point. He showed a little bit of strain as well, but was so far holding up better than me. I decided this couldn't last for much longer, and allowed him to pin me. He would've had anyway, sooner or later. I was much less used to fighting hand-to-hand than him, having the advantage of guns where I came from. "A lot better."

"A high praise from you," he smiled slightly. "I must be good."

"Don't get cocky," I reminded him. "I did hand over all my strategies to you on a silver platter."

"After putting me on the ground using them more than a few times." he muttered, and I rolled my eyes.

"Everything comes at a price, my little assassin. Just be happy I agreed to teach you anything with only a little bit of back pain as payment."

"That was very well done!" Mario praised, walking around the rink, closer to us. "I can tell you are both capable. Different styles, of course, but..." He let the sentence hang. He looked extremely pleased with his nephew, as was I. There was great improvement in his fighting, and the speed at which he learned and adapted was amazing. What took me years to figure out properly, he took advantage of within weeks. There was a great deal of potential in him, plain as day. It was easy to believe that he came from a line of assassins now.

"Why are looking at me like that?" Ezio finally asked as we walked back up to the villa. The sky began darkening nearly an hour ago, so now, only a trace of sunlight remained. I looked away from him, my smile still in place.

"I don't know what you're talking about," I patted his arm as I skipped off to the bathhouse.

---

I woke up to sunlight, the cheerful rays battling with the dust in the air, swirling around. I lay there with my arm under my head, and I decided that I didn't want to move. At all. Ever. I didn't want to do anything, I didn't want to practice with the sword, I didn't want to walk, talk, think, just lie here, like a content cat, reveling in the comfort…My eyes slowly began to close again, and I heard a familiar voice.

"Good morning." All traces of sleep suddenly gone, I shot up, my hand feeling around for the handle on my dagger that was under the pillow. Then I sighed in relief.

"Don't scare me like that!" Ezio chuckled. He was sitting at the small desk, supporting his cheek with his hand. "Isn't there some sort of weird etiquette rule that says it's not proper to be in a lady's bedroom?!"

"Somewhere beside the rule that women should not wake people up by jumping onto their stomachs," he reminded me, a lazy smile on his face. I grinned in return.

"Touché. But seriously, what are you doing here?"

"Oh, just wanted to give you something. Didn't I promise to buy you a new set of knives a fortnight ago?"

My eyes widened. "I didn't think you actually would."

"Well, I did." He was still smiling, and gestured to the bundle on the table beside him. I managed to get up, somehow getting the sheets off me, and walked over to him. I was wearing a loose shirt and pants to bed, so neither of us minded that part. Taking the bundle into my hands, I couldn't hold back a gasp.

There were ten of them, the original number I had, all gleaming, as if they were cast just yesterday at the blacksmith's. Perfect balance for throwing knives, they were a lot better than the ones I had, which I bought illegally, off some backstreet contact of mine back home.

"What's wrong?" he asked, seemingly alarmed by my lack of response as I put them back down onto the table. The next moment, a wide grin spread on my lips, and I nearly launched myself in his arms. After a moment of shock, he laughed. "I'll take it that you like them, then?"

"Yes, thank you so much!!" I nearly squealed, my excitement barely contained as I kissed his cheek. And immediately realized exactly what I just did. I think he did too, because he stared at me with confusion. I took a step away from his chair, awkwardly rubbing the back of my neck. "Hm. Well, then."

"Right."

"Well, thank you for the knives," I shrugged, failing to hide my smile.

"Is that a dismissal? Because you know, I can stay..." there were playful sparks in his eyes as he said it.

"No, no, kindly go away so I can proceed to avoid you for the next few years..." he stared at me for a second, and then began laughing, standing up.

"Don't worry about it, I'm sure you have trouble keeping your hands off me as it is-"

"Out!" I flailed my arms in the air, trying to contain my own laughter.

"Aw, come on, admit you want me! Don't deny your feelings!"

"Stop laughing! I like the knives, but kissing them would be a very bad idea, so I settled for the next best thing…I said stop laughing!!!" I yelled over his laughter, now physically pushing him out the door. He didn't resist, still hysterical. As I shut the door, I slid down it, overtaken by a wave of giggling.

_Arrogant, flamboyant, annoying…and way too __damn__ charming for his own good._

--

Ezio walked through the streets of the small town, his concentration solely focused on not stepping into the puddles. He was simply taking a walk, for the lack of anything better to do. He wanted to check up on the renovations, anyway.

All of the shops that were boarded up before were now cleaned up and opened. The tailor and art dealer quickly took up their old work, as had the blacksmith and doctor. The brothel was also operational, and the church was just being finished up. There were certainly more people stopping at the town now, increasing the cash flow slightly, which was enough to pay for the bank and military barracks to be reopened. They were still in the process of renovation though, as the buildings were a lot larger, and required more work and time.

While he was walking, smiling in reply to greetings but not really heading anywhere, his mind kept on coming back to the morning two days ago. The childish excitement on Eden's face as she thanked him for the knives, the hug and kiss she gave him. It was meant as a grateful gesture, almost sisterly. Friendly. Maternal. Something he wasn't even sure she was capable of anymore after all that happened to her. She certainly continued to defy logic. She was a killer, and yet she showed remorse when she couldn't save someone. She was deprived of everything; family, friends, the ability to have children, something men were allowed to beat their wives to death for when they found out. Yet she remained a little ray of sunshine. Always smiling, always cheerful and childish. She had those moments where the past seemed to have caught up with her, but she never cried about it.

And she confused him to no end. He thought her a sadistic witch when they first met. But now realized that all this time, she was trying to help him in whatever ways she knew. Even after confessing that she never had anyone to comfort her. How she was not a bitter, heartless killer by now, he couldn't understand. The world literally turned against her, and yet there she was, just happy with another day, reveling in her freedom, remaining a good person even after all of it.

He came to a stop beside the tavern where half of the mercenaries were drinking away their time. Shrugging to himself, he walked in and headed to the bar, sitting down and nodding to the bar keeper.

His peace did not last too long, however. Someone leaned onto the bar beside him in a minute.

"Hello," he greeted, not looking up, though he heard a faint chuckle.

"Good day," Lars replied, sitting down. Ezio glanced in his direction. He didn't understand what girls saw in this man. Ezio saw dozens of Larsono's in Firenze, and none of them had the attention that Lars did in this small village. Girls flocked around him like they did with Ezio, somehow charmed by the snobbish, arrogant attitude. Eden's rejection must have hit home with him, considering he had probably never been shown to the door by a girl. Which brought the question back around.

"Out of curiosity," Ezio though out loud, "Why is Eden constantly complaining that you won't stop bothering her?"

"Is she now? I haven't seen her since you two were sparring," he grumbled, shrugging.

"Why is it that you want her attention so badly, anyway?"

"The same reason any other man would, I suppose." That answer surprised Ezio, and he threw a sharp look at Lars. "She's new and interesting. I don't know why she didn't want me though, while following you around like a little lost puppy."

"Maybe because I don't try to convince her that we're married," he archly replied, struggling to hold back a sneer. The guy was seriously grating Ezio's nerves now.

Lars snorted. "Any girl in this town would be thrilled to be married to me."

"The reason she doesn't want you is that she's actually smart." He didn't bother to hold back the sneer now.

"A smart woman doesn't hold a big price. She should be flattered that I even turned my attention to her. Her hair, wearing male clothes. She'll be lucky any man ever notices her. But even you don't seem to satisfy her..."

"Of course not. We're friends," Ezio retorted with building irritation. Lars snorted rudely again. He was too bold to be sober. Or maybe he was just an _idiota_.

"Friends, of course. With benefits too, no doubt. So, tell me, how was the little who-"

His next words were cut off as Ezio's fist made contact with the man's jaw.

---

"So let me get this straight," I crossed my arms sternly, standing in front of Ezio as he sat on his bed. "You attacked Lars?"

"Well, yes, that's about right," he nodded, not impressed.

"And you were supposedly defending _my_ honor?"

"Well, I wouldn't call it that exactly. But he was plainly asking for a punch!"

"Oh dear God, Ezio, what am I going to do with you?" I sighed. "Here, let me take a look." I gently tilted his chin so I could look at his bleeding cheek. "Well, you're lucky to just get away with this. It could have been worse. Lars is a big guy."

"And I'm an assassin," he offered me a smirk.

I couldn't help but smile, inspecting for any infection. "That you are. But you're forgetting that I am too." Dipping the clean rag into a bowl of steaming water sitting on the nightstand next to his bed, I wrung it out, preparing to wipe down his wound. I'd requested it along with some bandages from Lisa.

"What's your point?"

"Pull another stunt like that and I'll hurt you," I elaborated, still smiling as I washed off the blood off his skin.

"Hey, it was you I was defending!"

"Well, you know perfectly well that I could defend myself. I don't care what Lars says behind my back. If he said it to my face, however..."

"You do know that he's telling everyone you're…uh, well, actually, you're right," he suddenly changed his tone. He sounded nervous now, "I won't do anything like this again."

"What is he telling everyone?" I asked, pressing a little bit to hard into his skin. He grasped my wrist, in a somewhat calming gesture.

"Nothing! It's all fine, don't worry about it."

"Ezio, so help me god, if you don't tell me right now, I will use you as a live target for knife throwing practice," I fumed, vainly attempting to yank my wrist out of his hand, "What does he say?" He must have felt the change of tone, going from stern to cold and dangerous. I wasn't kidding around.

"Well... he might have... been telling everyone you're a whore he spent the night with after one too many drinks?" I froze as he said that, Ezio shrinking away from me slightly. My hand was still in his grip, which he was now restraining.

"Is he, now?" my smile became a little more menacing, "Well, his life expectancy keeps getting shorter and shorter." I took a calming breath, and looked back to Ezio. "Please, don't get into fights over me like that again. I'm a big girl, I can handle things. Alright?" I gripped his chin, making him to face me fully. He sighed and nodded. "But... thank you. I suppose I should be flattered." I smiled at his surprise as I started walking away. "Oh, by the way, Mario was looking for you. I think they finally found the conspirators."

I was cheering on the inside- I was dying to get a move on from this place for the last month. I barely managed to pass the time by training, reading, or simply staring at the wall opposite my bed. It felt like I'd gone through the entire library by now, searching for some sort of hint to those huge dogs. They never left my mind. The mystery of what the attack on the messenger was for was bothering me constantly, the one question burning a hole in my head.

_Why would they attack, but leave everything behind?_

I froze in the doorway, realization hitting me like a ton of bricks. _"Oh."_

"Eden?" Ezio got up behind me, "Are you alright?"

"They weren't trying to steal anything," I whispered, my eyes widened as I spun around.

"What are you talking about?" he looked worried.

"The messenger, the dogs with the soldiers from Rome...they weren't trying to steal anything."

"What do you mean?"

"If, say, Leonardo invented something new, what would he do first?" He was getting more confused by the second.

"Probably test it out, right? Wait a moment..." His eyes widened as well and understanding dawned on his face.

"The dogs were a new breed, not one I've ever seen. They were just... testing them out!" I felt sick. "This wasn't about the messenger at all! God, how did I not see this before?! They simply wanted to make sure the dogs were able to rip a large group apart!"

"But that's just..." he swallowed hard, his face pale. He, like me, was probably remembering the massacre we came across almost a month ago, "Immoral, horrible and sick." I nodded in agreement.

"And also proof that Templars are a lot more sadistic than we gave them credit for. We'll have to be extra careful now."


	14. Chapter 13

Bernardo ran for his life in the town of San Gimignano, trailing around the alley ways like a scared rabbit. His guard was most likely already dead, and the assassin tailed him now, catching up quickly. In a frenzied panic, he tried to force himself to run faster, knocking people out of his way and not daring to look back.

It all started with the damned conspiracy. He should have known that signing that contract would be like signing a death sentence…God-damned, stubborn, _bastardi_ Auditores. The wretched son had already killed Uberto. And then that boy, Vieri, his father Francesco going down the same way. He knew that he was coming for him, but the longer he didn't show up, the more paranoid Bernardo became. A month had passed since the attempted murder of the Medici. Bernardo had already been arrested, escaped, and now planed his leave. But by some misfortune, the week when he wanted to plead with the Maestro, the assassin came out of thin air, killing two of his guards before they could even realize what was happening.

His breath was starting to run out, but he pushed himself to run. _There's got to be... someone that can... help... a place to hide...!_

The figure appeared as if out of nowhere right in front of him. A dark cloak, the hood drawn over its head. And then there was a flash of cold, deadly steel. Bernardo came to a running stop as to not to crash into this person who stood in front of him, denying him passage in the alley way.

As he panted heavily, he gulped - the figure had drawn a long dagger from somewhere beneath the cloak, and in a moment, it was at his throat, frozen. He shook in fear, terrified gaze frantically taking in the light smile that was visible on the lower part of the face.

"Wrong turn," the voice whispered, somewhat mockingly. He turned his head upwards slightly, looking over his victim's head. "Eden?" Bernardo didn't hear the assassin chasing him came to a stop behind him. But he did feel the tip on his blade on his back as he craned his head around to look at him. "You're late."

"Actually, right on time." His jaw nearly fell open as the person that just chased him through half the town threw back her hood with her free hand. Yet her bright and cheerful smile somehow managed to soothe his fear slightly. However, the blades at his throat and back did not even twitch, dead set in the threatening position.

It was a woman that chased him, driving him to the assassin, like a lamb to the slaughter... this was all just a trap, then?

"What kept you?" the assassin asked, his voice a lot more... human than Bernardo expected. He assumed his hunter to be an emotionless killer, if anything. But the man in front of him sounded vaguely irritated, yet mildly amused.

"Oh, you know me. Group of guards started asking questions. I didn't like their tone."

"You didn't kill them, did you?"

"No, just knocked one of them out and made a run for it. I did kill his bodyguards though, just to give us some time. There was a lot of rattle." Her smile never wavered when she talked. "So kill him quickly – the guards will come this way pretty damn soon, and I don't think they want your autograph."

A sharp pain reverberated in Bernardo's chest, near his heart. At the moment, he knew it was all over. He wasn't dead yet, but he already felt the coming doom.

"Now, tell me where I can find Jacopo," the assassin's voice eerily pleasant as he caught his crumpling figure, almost gently laying him out on the ground. The woman, Eden, turned away, looking out for guards, most likely.

"So you can...do to him what you did to... me?" he gasped out.

---

"Ah, it's like our song. By moonlight we meet over a corpse," I sang as I snatched the fat purse off the body. There was no way I'd let the money go to waste. It wasn't like there was a reward for this anyway, so you could say I was compensating. I _did_ have to chase down the fat banker slash Templar all over the town. Cornering him saved us the need to escape the moment people noticed the murder in process. A plan that worked beautifully, may I add, considering we had at least a minute to get away from here, and no witnesses.

"Shush."

"Whenever I see a corpse, I shall think of you," I continued, and Ezio grinned, shaking off the blood on his hidden blade.

"Oh all the things to think about..."

"Because only a corpse can tell how much I miss you..."

"Getting a little creepy." He was laughing now as we cautiously but casually walked away from the body, heading towards the main street. No need to arouse suspicion by acting all twitchy and guilty.

"Shouldn't we climb or something?" I asked, looking up. "I mean, the guards will find the body, and we sort of stand out.

"Alright. After you, _Signorina_," he gave a magnanimous wave of his hand as he lightly bowed.

"Say that again and I'll hurt you."

"Charming as always," he chuckled as I scaled the wall, ignoring the whispers of the crowd. I ran up the stone house and got a hold of the balcony hanging over our heads. It didn't take us long to reach the roof. That was when the guards found the body, judging by the screams of horror and their angry cries below.

After a somewhat boring month, it was good to finally get out and about. After waiting for any signs of the conspirators for so long, leaving the villa was like a breath of fresh air after being trapped in a cellar. I craved action like never before, reveling in the chase again, and I think Ezio felt the same way.

"There they are! _Merda! _Don't let them escape!"

"Well, dammit," I cursed under my breath as one of the guards was actually smart enough to look up and notice us. Ezio grabbed my arm and pulled me along the roof. I nearly tripped as we ran, but managed to regain my balance quickly. Behind us, I heard the guards swearing as they climbed after us, arrows whistling behind us and _way_ too close for comfort. We made a sharp turn around a taller building, some monastery spire or something, breaking their line of sight. If we could just-

Without pausing, Ezio yanked me to him face first, forcing me to wrap my arms around his chest and hold on for dear life as he took a flying leap off the roof. Plunging down into the gap between the buildings, I was too shocked to do anything as wind whistled past our falling forms. Without warning, I suddenly felt the familiar prickling of straw around us. Vainly attempting to let out a sharp breath of surprise, I was immediately stopped - this time, the assassin was on top, his hand pressed over my mouth so I wouldn't start screaming. I narrowed my eyes.

"Ouch!" he hissed, his hazel gaze brimming with annoyance as I bit his hand, causing him to yank it away. "Shh! I think I hear them."

I clenched my teeth. My heart beat was still high from the short run and the shock of falling. And we were too freaking close; I was suddenly aware of the way his head was resting on my collar bone, and his arms protectively at my sides. I could hear the guards now, too, their armor clanking together as they ran, searching. For some reason, they didn't even think about checking the hay stack.

"I'll hand it to you, Ezio." I whispered into his ear, "You give the phrase 'Roll in the hay' a whole new meaning."

He snorted quietly, and I felt the tremor of his chest and throat. "We can do it by the book, if you prefer, _mia bella_."

_Okay, dangerous territory!_

"Save it, Casanova."

"Who?"

"Never mind. Future thing." He was leaning on his elbows slightly, so he wouldn't crush me, and I appreciated the thought. Not only was he heavy, but there were a lot of weapons involved, too.

The guards were gone by now, but we still lay buried in the hay, waiting just in case they would stop, slap themselves on the foreheads and come back to check. And I have to say, I didn't mind he current position all that much...

"So what do we have?" I decided now was as good as time as any to talk about progress. "Three of Jacopo's hit men are dead. And now we know who Jacobo is, we know where he is, and now we need to find out when he's meeting with the other Templars."

"Hm, yes," he hummed.

"Are you asleep?" I suddenly asked. He sounded a bit too comfortable, throwing of my comfort level, if that made any sense.

"Believe me, sleep is the last thing on my mind right now," he replied, and I narrowed my eyes. I could hear the smirk in his voice. And even though I knew he was simply mocking me, a blush spread on my cheeks.

"Get off me, you pig." I turned my entire body to my side, which made him move away. He chuckled, his smirk still in place. "Anyway, I think it's safe. Let's head out." I hopped out of the cart, brushing the hay off my cloak and out of my hair. "At least warn me when you do that. Another fall like that and I'll die of a heart attack," I grumbled as he picked out a piece of straw from my hair that I didn't get.

"Oh, come on, don't tell me you didn't enjoy that!"

"Which part, specifically?" I asked, raising an eyebrow, "Falling down to my death was definitely not pleasant. The hay in my hair and clothes is far from perfection. So which part was I supposed to enjoy, exactly?"

"You have to learn to trust me!" he exclaimed as we walked out of the alley, finally making it onto the street. "You should know I wouldn't jump unless I'm sure it's safe!"

"Well, considering you're a suicidal assassin, there's always a high chance of you pulling me to my death. Or mixing up poison with milk."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"It's a cereal crack. Never mind. The point is, you're quite insane, so you never know."

"Wait a moment,_ you're_ telling me this?" he asked skeptically as we walked through the crowd, heading towards the gates. The guards seemed to have all but forgotten about the two of us, not even sparing us a second look now. Good Lord, they really didn't know how to do their job about here.

"And what exactly are you implying? That you want to wear your ass for a hat?"

"I don't think that's physically possible, _piccola._"

"And I'm sure you're just dying to find out if that's true. How about a hands-on demonstration?"

"I like this hands-on part. Would you care to elaborate?"

I hit him lightly on the arm. "How's that for elaboration?"

"Painful."

I laughed, "Now, where are we even going?"

"The Salviati villa, just outside of town," he explained, dodging a man carrying a crate. "The Archbishop is hiding there at the moment."

"Wait, I don't think murdering the Archbishop will go unnoticed. I mean, I'm all for it, but we're sort of killing off pretty important people here."

"What's your point?"

"That soon, prostitutes, thieves and mercenaries will be our only allies."

"Aren't they our only allies at this time, too?"

"You're right," I agreed easily. "But it's like I said though, I'm all for it. I never liked priests, anyway."

"And I'm sure they worship the ground you walk on," he snorted, and I smiled at him cheerfully.

"And why wouldn't they?"

"Arguing with you is like throwing peas at a brick wall. It yields no results," he sighed.

"Except you waste peas, which is horrible. Now let's go, I don't like the way people are staring."

---

"So, you think you can shoot them down?" Ezio asked as Eden thoughtfully stood beside him, looking up at the walls.

"Waste valuable bullets on them?" she snorted, "I won't find any in this place, and I'm already running out. No, I think we'll have to go the old fashioned way."

He scaled the walls, Eden at his heels as the mercenaries shifted behind them, itching to charge into battle. There were two groups of guards outside the walls, a few archers on the walls, and probably a legion inside, along with the Archbishop.

"If we can just distract the guards, I'll be able to climb over the wall to open the gate before anyone realizes what's going on," Ezio concluded, and she nodded.

"I'll take care of the guards patrolling the walls. Arrows can't be pleasant to remove from one's back…or front."

"Then it's a plan. Alright, men," he turned to the group the scout gave him, "If you will."

That was all they needed to charge with deafening battle cries. Eden winced.

"One flaw in the plan it seems. They'll alert the entire villa to our presence in the first minute," he heard her grumble. But she followed him further up the walls. The guards paid them no mind now. For what were two shadows along the walls when there was a stampede of mercenaries attacking you?

Eden pulled herself up beside him, silencing the nearest guard with a throwing knife quickly.

"So far, so good," Ezio muttered. She nodded, looking over the edge into the courtyard.

"There's at least ten there. Be careful," she briefly touched his arm.

"I'm still alive, ain't I?" he smirked reassuringly. Shaking her head, she moved away from him, towards the nearest archer. Taking a deep breath, he leaped off the wall.

The reaction was immediate. All the guards who were watching the fight outside suddenly turned their attention to him. It took them a few moments to realize what was happening though. In that time, two of them fell dead with dual hidden blades in their throats, and Ezio quickly made it to the lever that opened the gate. The mercenaries, who just about finished up with the soldiers outside, rushed in with another battle cry, engaging in another skirmish.

Ezio jumped away from a blade, pulling out his own sword. He was searching around for the Archbishop and at the same time parrying hits. The man was nowhere in sight, though. His guards' morale was dropping quickly - some abandoned their weapons and made a run for it, covering their heads in surrender. The young assassin parried again, and drove his blade through the man's stomach. In the brief moment that he looked up, he saw something that almost made him freeze before he kicked the guard on his sword away from him.

Eden was still up on the walls, and though she left a trail of bodies behind her, the last archer saw her coming. She was fighting him off with a lot more effort than she did with others, but the guard kept swinging his hammer at her. In the moment Ezio looked up, she finally broke through his defense, slitting the man's throat. As he grasped his throat in his death throes, he shoved her away from him.

She lost her balance, falling from high off the wall.

"_Cazzo!_" Ezio hissed in anger and concern as he dispatched another soldier, "Where's the damn coward, Salviati?!"

"Right here, assassin!" Another voice and weapon joined the fray, close to where Ezio was and yelling orders at his men. "You're very persistent, boy. But tell me, why waste the lives of those scum you call your men?"

"You sound awfully confident for one who already lost most of his own troops!" he shot back, even as he quickly ran through another guard who was stupid enough to attempt to run him through from behind. Ezio didn't even bother flinching.

"Ah, but you are still outnumbered," the Archbishop sneered, taunting as he swung his axe, which looked even bigger than him. Ezio darted to the side, taking a hasty step away as the large weapon fell into the earth where he was just standing. Taking the moment as Salviati was trying to yank it out of the ground, he struck with his own blade, missing the attempted death blow slightly, but leaving a long gash in the man's side. Ezio slashed out again immediately, almost without pause, delivering the final blow before his enemy could even lift his axe for another swing.

"Now, tell me, where's Jacopo?" he asked, leaning down to the man, his voice fast. It wouldn't be long before the Archbishop died.

Eden still hadn't shown up...

Salviati's eyes were already closing, pain wrinkling his features. "He knows you come for him, emerging only- in the cover of darkness..."

"Faith should bring comfort, not pain. _Requiescat in Pace,_" Ezio muttered, stepping away from the dead man. Around him, the guards were fleeting, the fight dissolving quickly with the loss of their leader. The young assassin cleaned and sheathed his blade, and rushed to the spot where he saw Eden fall.

The woman was knocked out from the drop, lying on her side. He knelt down beside her, scanning for any injuries. To his relief, there were none - she was simply unconscious. By that strange instinct of hers, she felt him beside her, and her eyes opened slightly.

"Ezio?" she muttered, confused.

"Are you alright?" he asked with concern. She didn't seem to be in any pain, but she didn't even try to get up.

"Yeah – just... tired," she whispered, "It's been a long day. And…I think I fell." He almost laughed at her statement.

"You did. Don't worry, we're done here."

"Thank God," she blinked several times, and attempted to get up, only to hiss in pain suddenly. "Okay, _ow._"

"You probably bruised something from that fall."

"My knife...where is it?" she suddenly asked, her eyes darting around. He spotted the bloodied blade lying near them. It must have dropped out of her hand in the fall. He picked it up and handed it to her as she attempted to get up again. It was of little use, and he caught her as she slouched down again.

"Careful there," he slid an arm under her knees and back, lifting her up with almost no effort. "Just stay awake until we get to the town."

"Sure thing." she shrugged, her head resting on his shoulder, struggling to keep her eyes open. Unlike last time he carried her, she didn't protest. As he met up with the mercenaries again, he jerked his head to the gate, gesturing that it was time to get out of here.

Getting her onto the horse was the hardest part. She was already half asleep, her body barely responding and breath shallow. Climbing into the saddle behind her and holding her tightly to his chest, he steered them towards town.

---

The voice that woke him up in the morning was pleasant and cheerful.

"Morning!" He opened one eye, and noted with surprise that he was sleeping on a bed. He barely remembered the last few hours of last night...

Eden was sitting at the small table, wearing a simple tunic and pants. Lifting himself up from the bed and resting back on his elbows, he noticed the smell of eggs and bacon in the air. And sure enough, there were two plates on the table. She was smiling brightly, looking naturally amused in the morning sun.

"Good morning," he greeted, getting up, "How are you?"

"Huh? Oh, it's nothing, just a rather large bruise," she shrugged, pointing at the back of her neck and continuing to eat with great enthusiasm. "I already took care of it. Now eat, we have things to talk about. The landlord's wife graciously allowed me to use her kitchen, even though it took a bit of convincing."

"Right, thank you," he sighed, and went to the basin of fresh water sitting next to his bed as she continued rambling.

"You know, cooking is hard enough in my time, even with electricity and stoves and all the things you need in the corner stores. I mean, I know there aren't any microwaves around. Or fridges. Or anything that we use in the twenty first century. But this is so weird! It's like living in a museum or something!"

"What are all those things?" he asked curiously as he washed his face in the basin.

"Kitchen appliances. It's all automated, things that would make Leonardo faint from excitement. Like stoves that don't need a fire, and fridges that keep things cold... I'm still not used to having to light a candle every time it gets dark!"

"You don't use candles in the future?"

"Not really, unless you like candles or something. All I had to do was turn on a switch and I have my own mini sun in the room."

"Things really do change," he muttered thoughtfully.

"Oh, you have no idea. Like, women hold important offices, we don't have knights or orders or anything, and all of this," she proceeded to knock on the table, "Is generally found in antique stores and shows only. This is still really strange for me. I mean, I traveled into the Renaissance period in Italy! I met Leonardo da'Vinci in person! This is the stuff weird crack dreams are made of."

He sat down opposite of her, feeling a lot more refreshed. "And this is just catching up with you now? You've been around for nearly two months."

She shrugged. "It doesn't quite hit until you try cooking in a fireplace, believe me. Never thought I'd be doing that in my life."

"Wait, so Leonardo is famous in your time?" he suddenly asked, furrowing his eyebrows.

"Uhh... oops," she bit her lip. "Ah, screw it. Too much to hold in, and it's not like it'll change anything if you keep your piehole shut. Let's just say this - even a child can tell you who Leonardo is, and recognize at least one of his paintings."

"After five hundred years? I know he's extremely talented, but-"

"He's one of the key people in this period," she continued. "I can't really tell you anymore, mostly because I don't know much. History is all very boring, and the way my teacher told it..." she shuddered. Then she looked at Ezio with a light smile. "I must sound crazy."

"No more than usual," he sent her a fleeting grin. "And it's interesting. I don't suppose you heard of me?"

She seemed to think about it, looking out the window again. "I haven't. But the name Auditore sounds vaguely familiar... I don't know. And I didn't even know that there was any sort of order of assassins until I met you."

Ezio looked at her in thought. "So... no descendants of mine around, then?" she chuckled.

"No, I don't think so. Then again, if there are, they would be around Europe, right? That's a long way from New York."

"You know, I never heard of a city by that name. It's not around here, is it?"

She seemed to hesitate. "I... dammit, I sort of wish I listened more carefully in school now. How do you picture Earth?" That confused him.

"What do you mean?"

"Is it flat? Like, if you go far enough, you can fall of the edge?"

"Isn't it?"

She grinned again. "Ignorance at it's best."

"Hey! Fine, then, what is it?"

"Do you promise not to tell?" She looked like she was fighting an internal battle, wanting to tell him, though common sense wouldn't let her. He sighed.

"Don't worry. I suppose it's best if I don't know any more than you already told me, right?"

"Yes. But you know, I was reading some of the translations of the codices back at the villa. Altair said that 'The world is not flat, but rather, round, like a ball. Like the Apple.'" she quoted.

"Is he right?"

Eden leaned onto the table, supporting her cheek with one hand. "I don't know how he found out, but yes. The world is round. Falling off it is impossible unless you have rockets."

"Rockets?" he let out a breath, "A lot of things changed in the five hundred years," he repeated his previous statement.

"It's a long time," she made a vague gesture with her free hand as she briefly looked out the window. "But how about we talk about the present? Or the past, for some of us. The Templar meeting. The church, I believe Bernardo said, right?"

"Yep. And the Archbishop said they only come out after dark. We can probably find them there tonight, then."

"That's the thing, though." Eden crossed her arms and looked out the window. "How are we going to find them? There will probably be plenty of other people around the church."

"Don't worry about that. I can single them out," he said after he swallowed some bacon. "This is good."

"Thanks. It's about the only meal I can cook," she shrugged, sending him a grin. "But I don't get how you can do that."

"It's a talent of mine. My father called it Eagle Vision," he explained. "It's like people suddenly start to glow. You, for example, are blue, since you're my ally. The guards shine red, since they're technically my enemies."

"That's so weird," she looked at him with disbelief, "Is that even possible?"

"Is time travel possible?" he countered. "This is more like... intuition."

"I think my father could do that," she suddenly said. "Whenever there was anyone dangerous in sight, he managed to hide us. One time, it was a child of about eight, and I couldn't understand why he was so afraid of him. Then Larry told me the kid was a spy for some other gang."

"You come from a very cheerful place."

"I thought we already established that. Everyone was against each other. If you lived anywhere in my neighborhood, that is. Anyway, I think my father could do something like that," she came back to the original point. "Do you think all assassin lines have this vision?"

"I don't know," he shrugged. It was a curious thought. "You never talk about your father."

"There's almost nothing to talk about," she shrugged, looking back at him. "He was a good dad, always managing to protect us somehow. Sometimes he'd disappear for days, but he always came back. Until one day, when he didn't. I don't know what happened, my mom never talked about it."

"Do you think he was killed?"

"Yes," she nodded, and he was surprised by how easily she said that. "I didn't at first, but if he was an assassin, then... I guess that's a likely option. Considering there was no sign of him after he left. It was like he never existed," she continued thoughtfully. "I've gotten over it once everything settled. I barely remember him now, for some reason."

"And the tattoo?" he glanced at the black mark on her arm.

"My sister claimed he gave it to me, but why, I don't know. She didn't have one, so why just me?" She looked at it as well, worrying her lip slightly. "Maybe he wanted me to be an assassin. Not the way I became one, but...what about you? Did your father ever hint on it in any way?" she asked suddenly, and he was taken aback for a moment.

"I - looking back, maybe he did," Ezio started slowly. "I always thought he was just a banker. Though he did leave in the middle of the night often. But I never really thought about him being an assassin, of all things."

"Right," she looked back out the window. She was still smiling gently, as usual, but she seemed a bit more distracted now.

"Is everything alright?"

"Am I that transparent?" The corner of her lips pulled up higher. "Yeah. The letter you took off one of the men. It mentioned Rodrigo Borgia. He's from Rome, right?"

"Yeah. Are you worried about the dogs again?" she sighed.

"Yes. The dogs must be his. I'm a little afraid they might be around here. We don't want any more massacres like the last one." She frowned at the mention of it, as did he. "And we don't know how to fight them off if it comes to that."

"I think cutting off their heads should kill them."

"But that's the thing, isn't it? It can't be that simple, or at least one of them would have died back then. Those were heavily armed men, they must have recovered fast and at least tried to fight back."

"Listen, if it comes to that, then we'll improvise. Maybe they aren't even around. Borgia could have left them in Rome after they were tested."

"Not unless they know we're coming."

"Are you actually worried? _Basta!_ Come on, it'll be fine. They probably won't even realize we're there until the last moment, if at all."

She looked at him seriously. "Don't underestimate them, or this might end faster than it begins."

"Ah, but they constantly underestimate me, too," he smirked cockily, and her smile returned.

"And they don't take me seriously, either. If they know about me at all, that is. So, what's the plan then? Swoop in and kick ass as usual?"

"We should follow Jacobo first. Maybe he can lead us to the others."

"Whoopie. And once we get there?"

"We swoop in and kick ass."

She laughed, "Alright, sounds like a plan. So what do we do for the rest of the day?"

"Well, there is something," he leaned over the table, resting his elbows on the wood and clasping his hands together. "That priest that barricaded himself in the monastery. He said that they meet in the shadow of the Roman Gods. What is that supposed to mean?"

"What little I know of mythology," she drummed her fingers on the table, thinking, "Is that the Roman and Greek gods are fairly similar, right? A whole bunch of guys up there, all have a specific area in which they rule. So far so good?" He nodded, and she continued, "Well, in the shadows of gods...are there any statues of them around? I think that's the closest we can get to it."

"Well, I'm not sure about statues, but there are ruins of a roman amphitheater not far from town," he thoughtfully replied, thinking hard on the surrounding lands of San Gimignano. He used to visit this place as a boy sometimes, since it wasn't far from Florence or Monteriggioni and the villa. "That's about all I can offer."

"Then let's go," she stood up, grabbing her cloak off the edge of the bed.

"Go where?" he raised a curious eyebrow, and she smirked.

"Scouting. Maybe you want to waltz into a Templar meeting blind, but I rather like living. If this is where they meet up, I want to know how to get in and out of there."

---

I looked around, somewhat disappointed by the sight. The ruins were just that – ruins and circular piles of rocks that barely retained their shape after the being built most likely centuries ago. A few columns still stood at the front of it, most of them missing the top halves. But aside from all that, a random passerby wouldn't be able to see the meeting from the road, so it was as good a spot as any.

"Well," I crossed my arms, "This is not the most ideal location, but I suppose it's not our choice."

"What do you think?" Ezio asked thoughtfully, and I pursed my lips.

"I guess they'll have guards patrolling the place, too. So if we avoid them, they won't be able to see us here."

"And those columns are wide enough to hide us," he added, and I nodded. "So we can sneak around the front, and hide, and then..."

"We'll improvise." I looked up at the midday sun. "Let's head back. It doesn't seem like there's anything else around here until nightfall." He nodded, and we turned back the way we came from, up the narrow pass between the stone walls. We were almost out of the ruins when Ezio suddenly froze, his step faltering. I looked back at him in surprise.

"You alri-" The last few letters were cut off as he snatched my elbow and moved me along with him to the side of the exit. Out of shock, I followed willingly as we turned a corner in the small maze. That's when I heard the voices behind us. Silently rushing to stand behind me, Ezio pressed me into the wall, covering my mouth with his gloved hand, though it was not necessary.

_"-what are we doing here, anyway? There's nothing but a few old rocks."_

_"The Maestro wants to be safe, just in case."_ There were two voices, slightly echoing. _"You never know what surprises there are. And with the assassin on the loose..."_

Both of us stayed silent as we heard the two men come closer. I bit my lip, trying to calm my pulse down. This was bad. Very bad...

I leaned to Ezio's ear, my voice barely rising. "We have to get out of here."

"How do you propose we do that?" he asked just as quietly, his breath warm on my cheek and neck.

_"Anyway, we're getting paid a decent sum for this, so don't complain. The assassin probably won't show up anyway."_ The footsteps stopped not less than twenty feet from us.

_"He killed all of the Pazzi's allies, though. One of them might have talked."_

_"Well, what would the assassin do here now? It's still a long time before nightfall."_

_"I don't know. Let's just finish this up quickly and get out of here."_ I closed my eyes and let out a quiet breath of relief as they began moving the opposite direction. As soon as it fell silent again, I pushed Ezio off of me.

"I'm getting tired of these situation. Way too close for comfort," I grumbled.

"They're not that bad," he muttered as we climbed the wall to get out of the ruins. Going back to the entrance was not an option with two of Borgia's men around.

"Well, considering that they could have found us at any moment, and since we couldn't kill them without tipping the Templars off...yeah, way, wa-a-ay too close for comfort. We almost dug ourselves a hole there."

As we left, I didn't miss the look of fleeting disappointment on his face.

---

**Translations**

_Bastardi_ – Bastards

_Signorina_ – Equivalent to "Mademoiselle" or "Miss"

_Merda!_ – S**t!

_Mia Bella_ - My pretty/beautiful one

_Piccola_ – Sweetheart

_Cazzo!_ – F**k!

_Basta! _– "Stop" or "Enough"


	15. Chapter 14

"Well?" I asked quietly, and he didn't respond right away. I couldn't see his features in the shadow of his hood, even with the street torches lighting up the night sufficiently.

"Yes, I see him... If I can stay my blade long enough, he'll lead us to the others," Ezio muttered, restrained anger in his voice. He was getting better and better at controlling his emotions, a lot different from the way he let out his fury in the very beginning. I'd seen Vieri's body, and it was not pretty.

I put a calming hand on his arm. "We'll just have to wait and see, then. Let's get to it." He lightly jumped down to the ground, and I followed. No one saw us in the alley, and two people walking out of a dark street did not cause any suspicion. No one even recognized Ezio from the posters that we tore down whenever they began showing up. Short enough to look under the hood, I glanced up at him and nearly flinched away - his eyes were dilated to the full, a light, but unnatural golden glow to them. He was still using this "Eagle Vision", easily picking out our target in the crowd.

As Jacopo walked through the streets of the town and nervously glanced around, guards flocked to him. They trailed around the streets, probably trying to make sure no one was following. More often than not, the procession would pause and look around, at which times, Ezio had to hide behind corners. I didn't stand out anymore, with my clothes more historically accurate now, so I kept walking with crowds of people. As Jake once said to me, if you want something hidden well, hide in the most obvious spot in plain sight.

"Isn't he late?" Ezio thought out loud at one point, keeping his voice so low that only I could hear it. I looked up to the sky. It was approaching midnight, at least. "He doesn't seem to hurry to the meeting."

"I think he's afraid. I don't think Borgia is happy with him after the failure in Florence," I whispered from the corner of my mouth, "And considering the deaths of his co-conspirators...I'd be paranoid too."

"You? Really?" He seemed to find the concept funny. I mock-glared at him.

"I still have some common sense left."

"Oh, yes, because helping an assassin and walking head first into a Templar nest is definitely a smart idea."

I made sure Jacopo was still in sight before continuing the conversation. "Would you like me to leave?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Would you if I asked?"

"No," I snorted in defiance. "Sorry, but you're stuck with me."

"Of all the people to be stuck with..." he sighed heavily.

"Do you want me to hurt you?"

"No, no, we're on a job." He hurried to move away from me, at the same time as getting out of de'Pazzi's line of sight.

"You're right. They're probably going to hurt you without my help."

"And what of you?"

I smirked. "I'm too quick, even for you."

"I'll take that as a compliment."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night…damn," I stopped. We were near the gates now, and Jacopo has already gone through them, so we lost sight of him momentarily. But the hitch was that there were already four guards standing in front of the city entrance, their stance giving the clear message that the only way to move them would be along with the ground underneath them. Ezio seemed to have noticed that too, because he crossed his arms. "Walls?"

"No. It'll take too long, and there are guards there." I looked around with some desperation, and then suddenly smiled. He glanced at me, and followed my gaze to the four mercenaries lounging beside one of the building, and I heard a very quiet groan. "Please tell me that's not what you're thinking."

"Well..."

"It'll wake up the entire town!" he hissed, and I rolled my eyes in frustration.

"Don't be difficult! At least we'll get through! Come on, it's not like we have much choice!"

"Oh, _I'm_ being difficult?!"

"The clock is ticking," I reminded him, and after a long pause, he shut his eyes and waved a hand to the men.

---

The ruins were no more impressive in the dark as they were in daylight. Except now they were crawling with soldiers. I couldn't tell their colors as to whether or not they were allies or enemies. But somehow I figured we could safely assume they wouldn't take our presence kindly. It was harder for two people to hide, so me and Ezio split up. While he snuck around the entrance, I went around to the front.

"-it was Francesco's fault! He was too impatient! I- I tried to be the voice of reason-" I didn't recognize the voice. It belonged to an old man, someone I only identified as Jacopo when I was hidden in the shadow of a column. He was begging with a hooded man, the same one we saw before Vieri was killed. And the same man that Ezio claimed was in the Templar meeting in Florence. Mario said the Spaniard was Rodrigo Borgia, a name that triggered a little bell in my head. But boy, did he look pissed.

"More like the voice of cowardice!" This was someone definitely someone new, who I'd never seen or heard before. The sneering old man wore blue robes and a matching beret. All very expensive looking, I might add. Whoever this was, he must have been important and rich. Then again, now it was starting to seem that anyone with any sort of power is inevitably either a Templar, or a target of the former.

"We put our faith in your operation, and yet you and Francesco failed, and Firenze is still in the hands of the Medici!" Borgia hissed as Jacopo paled further, shaking like my mom's old blender. "How do you expect me to respond?!"

"I don't know..." Somehow, this reminded me of a child trying to explain himself in front of his father. Yet these were much, _much _bigger mistakes. If things continued like this, then Ezio wouldn't need to kill anyone tonight.

"That's okay," the Spaniard replied, a lot more calmly now. As he reached into the folds of his robes, I realized that I was correct. "I do." And with that, he stabbed the old man in the stomach. Jacopo blinked a few times, as if in surprise, and clutched his robes. Blood began seeping through his hands, soon exploding into garish color along the fine silks. My gaze snapped up to the place I was sure Ezio would be, as if trying to find his eyes in the darkness.

"No- I can... I can still fix this!" Jacopo gasped out, and I felt an unexpected tug of sympathy. He was an old, shivering man, however evil. The new guy in blue clothes pushed him to the ground, laughing cruelly. "J-just spare me...maestro!"

_A little too late for that._ I watched as he fell onto his knees, and Borgia smirked coldly with the corner of his mouth.

"Spare you? I don't think so." Stabbing Jacopo clean through the shoulder one last time, he left the man to bleed out on the ground as he cleaned off the dagger. I bit my lip as Jacopo gasped and twitched on the ground. "Sorry to take you target... Assassin." My eyes widened as my gaze snapped to the man. He had his back to me, turned towards...

_Dammit!_ Ezio, who remained concealed until this moment, was suddenly exposed. Grasped from both sides by two guards and dragged forward, he had a look of defiant surprise as he struggled against their hold. He would've killed The Spaniard on the spot from the intensity of his glare alone. It was a real shame _that _wasn't part of his Eagle Vision.

"Did you really think we didn't know you followed us? Or your little friend?" My eyes widened further as I felt someone get a hold of me, holding my arms behind my back in a strong grip. I was pushed out into the torch light, the Spaniard barely sparing me a look over his shoulder, the fat bastard. Ezio glanced at me with sudden worry, as I didn't even try to struggle, even out of instinct. "We've been at this a lot longer than either of you." I suddenly felt a strong urge to spit at him. I clenched my teeth, mentally searching for any way to get out.

"Let her go," Ezio said in a clear, threatening voice. I looked at him with shock. Borgia raised his eyebrow slightly, barely a hint of surprise. "She doesn't have anything to do with this."

"Ah," he glanced at me with a twitch of his stupid little beard. "Then she's either more important that that, or she's an ally of yours. Either way..." The Spaniard beginning to leave, he threw an order to his guards. "Kill them."

I felt a blade at my neck, which paused, as the guard holding me stopped to watch Ezio as he smirked with defiance.

"I know you're just doing as you're told, so let me go, and I won't kill you," The young assassin's voice was strangely calm, which almost made me smile despite the strong grip on my arms, the blade at my throat and the half a dozen unfriendly guards surrounding us. One of the men holding Ezio laughed.

"You're not in-" his words and laughter were cut off as Ezio extended his hidden blade into the man's throat. As he freed his arm, he slammed his other blade into the other guard's stomach, and kicked him to the ground. Using the general shock, I suddenly kicked back, twisting my arms out of the guy's hold, and in a flash, the knives I had up my sleeves were in my hands. I stabbed behind me with both, the groan and thump telling me I did not miss.

"Ezio, I'm not going to lie," I shouted as me and him met halfway in the middle of the ruins, standing back to back as the soldiers unfroze, getting into defensive position, "That was freaking _awesome_."

"Not so bad yourself!" he yelled back, as the men began to surround us.

"A shame the others got away," I dodged a sword, driving my dagger into one of the opponents, "But I guess we have our hands full here, anyway."

"You can say that again!"

"But I guess we have-"

"I didn't mean literally!"

"Oops. Well, you could have said so."

"Is now really the time?" he asked, as I heard him clash blades with someone.

"You're right. This is the time where people proclaim undying love or some other corny crap like that, which follows them to the early grave."

"You're insane!"

"I thought we established that."

The guards did not seem to like the fact that we weren't taking them very seriously. Some were simply staring at us with confusion and irritation as we chopped them into bits.

"Um... Ezio?" I gulped, ducking right before a Brute nearly sliced my head off with his battle axe, "How do you deal with these things?!"

"Disarm them," he instructed, and I jumped to the side as the massive battle axe whistled through the air again.

"Are ya kidding?! That tin can is twice my size!!!"

"You've taken down larger men!"

"I meant the axe," I elaborated as I rolled away from the tinman, quickly getting to my feet again. Ezio was busy fighting off at least three guards at once, so I was on my own. A plan formed before I could even begin to recall common sense. As the axe dropped down on me again, I grasped the handle, keeping it down with my weight at the same time as kicking the man in one of the less protected areas (three guesses where). As he howled with pain, I let go of the weapon, and struck my own into the depth of the helmet. More blood sprayed onto my clothes, and I let out a quick sigh of relief.

Ezio had just finished up as well, and leaned onto one of the columns, panting. I don't think he was hurt, which amazed me, considering the number or enemies we just dispatched. Not counting the now former banker, there were almost a dozen corpses on the ground. More around the young assassin - he was deemed more dangerous and wanted. "I think we should finish Jacopo off," I wiped off the blood off my cheeks as I examined the stains on my clothes with distaste. The old man was still gasping on the ground in pain, not even trying to move anymore, just curled around his wound like a child. "Save him the misery."

"You're right," Ezio nodded, coming up to the old man. His knife didn't even make a sound as it sliced through his throat. "Go forward friend, unburdened and unafraid._ Requiescat in Pace_." I didn't recognize the last phrase, as it wasn't in Italian. But it didn't take a rocket scientist to figure out what he said.

"You are a strange man, Ezio," I said thought fully as I recovered my throwing knives from the corpses. "I wouldn't call him a friend, exactly."

"It's a prayer for the dead, Eden, out of respect," he snapped, and I was taken aback slightly.

"I didn't mean anything by that. If you show your respect for death that way, I'm not going to insult it."

"How do you show your respect, then?" he raised an eyebrow standing up. I glanced at the corpse of the old man.

"I-" I stopped suddenly at the question, unsure how to answer. "I don't play with death, and I don't kill anyone who means no harm. Unless I'm forced to. And I feel regret when I am. It's no prayer, but that's the best I can do, because I'm fairly certain they don't want my voice to be the last thing they ever hear. Is that enough, or do I have to learn Latin?" I raised an eyebrow, and he shook his head, rubbing his forehead with his hand.

"I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm just..."

"Exhausted. Yeah, I figured." We walked in silence for a few moments. I then suddenly remembered something, and punched his arm.

"OW! What the hell was that for?!"

"'Let her go'?! Were you actually insane enough to say that?! What were you thinking?!"

"I suppose I wasn't," he glared at me.

"Damn right! Did you really think that they'd let me skip off? Or that I would if they were crazy enough to set me free?" That seemed to shock him into silence, and I closed my eyes, taking a calming breath. "I did not come all this way along with you just so I could play a helpless damsel in distress and walk away from all of this!"

"Alright, alright! I just... wanted to give it a shot. I wouldn't forgive myself if you died, considering I led you to your death." Now he shocked _me_ into silence.

Looking away from him, I crossing my arms."It's hard to stay mad at you when you say things like that, you know."

"I do, I really do." He cheered up immediately, and I wasn't sure if I wanted to hit him again or give him a hug. An involuntary smile spread on my lips.

_Way too charming for his own good_.

"We should head back to Monteriggioni, and then back to Firenze. That man beside Borgia was Emilio Barbarigo, the letter mentioned him," he referred to the letter we took off the body of one of the conspirators. "We will most likely find him in _Venezia_."

"Venice?" I asked with some confusion. Italian names for cities were still a little strange to me, "As in the city on the water?"

"Yes. Then I take it the city exists after five hundred years?" he asked with a smile, and I rolled my eyes.

"What does that have anything to do with anything?"

"Nothing. Just nice to know."

"So we're going to Venice," I clapped my hands together as I fished my bag out behind the stacked crated by the stables. "I've always wanted to see it."

"Well, I'm sure you'll enjoy the trip then," he ruffled my hair.

"Hey, hey! I'm already soaked in blood, don't add any more!" A passing woman looked at us strangely, and hurried away. I followed her with a thoughtful glance. "Well, I can honestly say I'm not coming around San Gimignano anymore. Seems like my face will be added to the posters now. The Templars know about me."

"Yes. The question is, though, how did they knew we were there? And that there were two of us?" He took a hold of his horse at the gate of San Gimignano and calmed it down quickly as it twitched nervously at the smell of blood. I didn't have such luck - it took two apples I had in my bag for my horse to stop trotting away from me every time I tried to get in the saddle. Ezio watched the process with amusement. When the chestnut mare finally allowed me to grasp the reigns I glared at him, and then at the horse. "Seems like she has an attitude, like her owner," he smirked as I finally climbed onto its back.

"I'm not her owner. I borrowed her from the Monteriggioni stables," I snorted as I pealed off my gloves, which were completely wet now. "Damn, I'll have to replace these. And I don't have an attitude!"

"Really? So I guess I have you confused with some other stubborn and cocky girl from the twenty first century. Do forgive me, _cara mia_."

"Do you want a bullet in your forehead? 'Cause I think I can spare a few."

"What are they made of, anyway?" he suddenly asked, and I threw a glance at him. We began moving along the road that the road sign claimed led to Firenze.

"I'm not really sure, actually. It was always easy to get a hold of some through my contacts, and I never thought I'd be stuck in the past. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if Leonardo could create some for you. They might come in useful."

"Oh, hell no. I'm not giving him any more ideas than his head is already filled with. I found sketches for a calculator in his drawers, for God's sake! The man already has his head in the future," I chewed on my lip. "No. If he gets the recipe for the bullets, it won't be long before he creates a gun to match, and that would be screwing... well, everything up."

"Alright, alright, it was just a suggestion," he put hand up in a peace making gesture. "Maybe we can find you a crossbow. They are probably heavier, but you are better at ranged attacks than melee."

"A crossbow?" I thought about it for a moment. "That's actually not a bad idea. It would take a while to get used to, but the technique is somewhat the same from what I know... I mean, except for the gunpowder, of course. Wait, are you telling me there are absolutely no guns around?"

"Well, there are some firearms, but I doubt you can find one," he shrugged. "Then again, talk to Leonardo. Maybe you can find a compromise."

"Well, I'm okay for now. I still have bullets stashed for the handguns and the sniper rifle. But I'm going to run out eventually. I guess I'll just have to live with it. It's not like I can use them very much, anyway.." I nodded to myself as we rode along.

With Jacopo out of the way, both of us escaping relatively unscathed, and being able to identify The Spaniard on sight now, it was a good day. Or night.

Whatever.

---

~_Rocking to the__ music's simple rhythm is a simple movement for a simple life.__ The music was vaguely familiar, somewhere in the background. The crowds make me almost claustrophobic, but I was used to it. All of it. The light flashing in my face, the fuzzy vision, the warm alcohol effects in my stomach, the thudding in my body with every beat._

_It's easy to forget things in here. There's no thinking - the song is louder than any thoughts. Rocking... rocking... with someone? Alone? In the crowd? I'm not sure anymore. It was bliss, but it was dangerous. I understood that somewhere at the very back of my head. I could lose myself. I wanted to, even. But I stayed around, still sane, still grasping onto my humanity with both hands, as if there was a reason for it. As if there was something I was meant to do before I could let myself be lost completely._

_Reason crashed around me. Humanity was a hard thing to keep when the only reason that remained to me was to kill for the gang.__ As a weapon. As an assassin._

_I stopped dead, suddenly becoming aware of my surroundings, sobering sharply. A familiar hand grasped mine, and a thousand reasons flooded my mind. Not excuses, like before, but responsibilities, wishes, desires, friends. A point._~

---

I opened my eyes, all traces of sleep gone. I didn't see anything but the darkness of the room for a few moments, sitting up as it began to dissolve. I could now make out the moonlight coming through the cracks in the curtains, leaving an arrow of light on the floor. I stood up, slightly disoriented, and with a heavy sigh, walked out the door, running a hand over my face as if wiping away spider webs.

I was heading to the kitchen, but suddenly, I stopped in front of Maria's bedroom. I could see candle light flicker in the gap under the door. Ezio and Claudia zealously kept the candles lit, at all times, even at night. When I asked why, Claudia looked at me very seriously, and very sadly, and said that when her mother comes back to them, they didn't want her to be in the darkness.

I quietly pushed the door open and walked in, sitting down on the bed softly. Maria didn't even acknowledge my presence, and continued her silent praying. This was how she spent all her days now, for the last few months. Only moving from the spot to eat, not looking at anyone, not muttering a single word. Just kneeling in front of the chest where the white feathers were kept. Ezio brought her more, whenever he found them. I'd seen him run a hand through her hair gently, pain twisting his features. I'd seen him sit here, staring at her with sorrow. I'd heard Claudia trying to get her to talk. I knew Mario kept an eye on her as well, sometimes calling for doctors to see if they could help.

But nothing ever changed. Not even a spark of recognition for her own children. Or maybe there was, but it was clouded so densely by her own pain. I hated seeing people like this, reminding me and making it feel as though my mother was dying all over again. It was all too familiar, if dulled slightly by the years.

I sighed. I didn't know why I came here, really. What did I expect? A conversation?

The dream I had... no, it wasn't even a dream. Or a memory. Just a reflection, feelings, thoughts I kept away from when awake. It reminded me of my pain then, and the unexpected relief I felt now. Somehow, I knew exactly who to thank for it. The idea of destiny suddenly became more clear to me.

"I don't know if you can hear me, or if you even know who I am," I began speaking softly. There was no response of any sort, but I continued. "I'm not sure what I'm even doing here. I guess I just want to try and help. I know how you feel, Maria," I took a slightly shaky breath. "After my mother died, I couldn't believe that an angel like her could die. It was unfair, inhuman, a nightmare. I couldn't accept it was the reality until I lay in the hospital, after surgery, thinking. I didn't talk to anyone, just lay there and thought about everything. About my parents, about my sister... about the child I will never have now. And the more I thought..."

I closed my eyes, remembering the sheer torment I felt back then, and even now, sometimes. "The more I hated myself. I felt like I killed all of them. Even if Eve was alive, I felt like she died, and it was all my fault. I killed my child, I killed my future. I could barely live with the pain of knowing that my home was completely empty, that when I came back, there would be no one to meet me at the door, to give me a hug. My mom wouldn't be reading a book in the living room, my sister won't need to be picked up from school anymore... and then, I realized that I would never have anyone in my life again. It hurt like hell, worse than any wound maniacs could have ever given me."

Maria remained absolutely passive through my entire monologue, but I felt a little better. It felt like I was pulling out thorns, one by one. It stung, but relief followed quickly. And somehow, I hoped that in some way, it could help.

"And I don't know why I never attempted suicide. I dragged myself through nearly every bar in New York, I tried to drown myself in the blood of others, but nothing helped. It just numbed the pain a little, before it began fading. Sometimes, I felt that if death came for me a second time, I would welcome it with open arms. The entire time, I felt like I was keeping myself alive for something, though I couldn't understand what else was left for me. I didn't have a job, I would never have a family again, I couldn't do any good in the world. And in the beginning, it burned like hell to breath, to think, to talk."

"After a few years, I tried to become like my mother, always smiling, always happy. It was the only thing I had left of her, her laughter in my brain, her smile on the back of my eyelids. It was hard, but after a while, it got easier. The more I forced laughter, the more natural it became."

Tears streamed down my face now, and I took a deep breath, wanting to finish. "It wasn't until I met your son that I began to get my purpose back. I had to help him, I had to try to keep him from becoming the mess I was when everything went to hell for me. And then he made me realize that there are still reasons for my life. That I could still do some good. I saved a man's life in Florence, I helped kill the murderers of your family, of the Medici, and probably so many others." I opened my eyes and looked at Maria again, not surprised to see no trace of emotion on her face. "Ezio is a good man, and I just wish I could have met him sooner. Maybe then I wouldn't have had to keep myself from death, but instead, live my life," I smiled slightly to myself. "I just wanted you to know that I will do everything I can to keep him alive and well. And happy, if I can manage it. It's the last thing I can do for this world, the only thing I can do to repay him."

I took another breath, and wiped my tears with the back of my hand. And then I stood up determinedly, and walked out of the room.

---

"Come on, how many?"

"Forget it!" I laughed, shouldering his side. I felt a whole lot better now than a few hours ago. Ah, the wonders of alcohol. Well, only a little bit of alcohol, since Ezio took away the bottle from me before we downed even a half of it.

After leaving Maria, on the way my back to my room, I noticed that his door was cracked open and he was sitting on the bed. Reading a book by candlelight, apparently. And with a cup of wine in hand and a large decanter on the table next to his bed. In just his trousers and tunic, and dark hair shaggy and undone, he didn't look half as deadly as he usually did in his standard armor and bristling with weapons. He seemed... like an innocent man, almost. Without thinking, I knocked on the doorframe, surprised when he looked up and invited me in with a grin. God knew that wine looked tempting.

A few cups later and we were both comfortably splayed out along the bed. Fully clothed of course. I wasn't idiot enough to attempt anything further. Shockingly, neither was he.

"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!"

"And how's that an even trade? I can guess without you telling me!"

"Alright, try!"

"Fifty."

"Hey, I'm still young. That's physically impossible."

"I beg to differ! There are three hundred and sixty five days, or fifty two weeks. So, one a week, you should come close..."

"I'm not quite that bad!"

"Oh, please! Alright, how many, then?"

"Only - hey, you first!"

"Oh, God, this is like girl talk. Fine, five," I rolled my eyes. Ezio rolled his head to look at me.

"That's the big number you didn't want to tell me?"

"Hey!" I lifted my hand to point a finger at him and glared. "I, unlike you, don't jump in bed with every guy that comes along."

"Hey yourself! I don't either. I never slept with a man, if you must know," he joked, and I felt the chuckle rumble in his stomach as I rested my head on it, my arms crossed beneath my chin.

"Really? Then I guess we can definitely rule out the female theory. Unless, of course..."

"Ha ha, very funny."

"Well, I told you my number."

"Not so fast! Who were they?"

"And why do you care so much, anyway?" I looked at him with an eyebrow raised. He stared back, a light smirk in place.

"Curiosity. Besides, you're the one that woke me up, which deprived me of my beauty sleep."

"Yes, you obviously need more of that. And you were already awake, I just kept you up."

"Just answer the question!"

"Fine," I looked away, slightly annoyed. "They were mostly high school crushes. I was a little naive, and wanted comfort, I guess. Of course, a bunch of hormonal teenage boys are more than eager to... hm, offer comfort. I dumped them shortly afterward."

"So you've never been in love?" he raised an eyebrow, and I shouldered him again.

"You know, this whole friends bonding thing is starting to get weird, Ezio. Next thing I know we'll be braiding each others hair and giggling over teen magazines."

"I'm sorry, _che cosa?_"

"Oh, forget it. If I wasn't half dunk right now, I'd probably kick your ass for asking in the first place," I mumbled.

"But since I did ask..." he hinted, and I smiled fleetingly, bringing my hand up to bring out the chain around my neck.

"I loved Alex, though it was hard since he kept going away, on duty in the army. But he always came back. He was sweet and interesting, but had a backbone."

"And did he know about the... um..." his hand hovered over my stomach. How much did _he_ have to drink to be so bold, I absently wondered.

"Nope. I was in a happy relationship for once. I wasn't going to screw it up so fast."

"Um, he wouldn't have left because of it, would he? I mean, you're from the future! This shouldn't be a problem in the future!"

"I don't know. But I didn't want to take that chance," I sighed, stretching. "Alex was a good boyfriend. But I guess we were not exactly honest. I never told him about the gang and stuff, and he never told me he didn't have any family."

"How do you know if you loved him, then?"

"I judge a man by his actions, not his past," I stuck my tongue out at him in a silly, childish gesture. "Now, spill. What's the number? If it's something like forty nine, I'll hurt you!"

"No, please don't, I bruise easy. And it's only about ten." I stared at him for a second, before I began laughing. "What?"

"Poor girls! I don't know how these things work, but I doubt their fathers appreciated it!"

"Oh, they didn't," he muttered darkly, and I snorted.

"So what, no arranged marriage anywhere on the horizon? You were a noble, and everything, right? Those don't usually marry for love."

"Uh, no. No arranged marriage. Not that I know of. And besides, just because nobles marry to expand their influence does not mean they can't be in love!" he paused, and I noted through a slight drunken haze that his hand never left my belly, resting on it. It was warm, but very heavy... "My parents were happy," he distantly smiled, "_Very _happy."

"Well, I'm glad to see your parents were."

"Were yours unhappy?"

"Nope. As far as I remember, they were as in love as you could get," I sighed at the memories, somewhat wistful. "That's why it was a shock when dad left; I couldn't figure out why he'd do something like this. Do men leave their wives and children here? Mario seemed outraged when I told him."

"Not...usually. Marriage vows are "until death do us apart." Does that change?" he asked curiously, and I rolled my head side to side.

"No, they still are. Will be. Sometimes. Except divorce is apparently counted as death. Let's just say family bonds aren't what they used to be."

"So was all of your life this depressing?"

"Was yours?" I countered, smirking slightly. He shook his head. "Exactly. Once upon a time, you were happy with your life, going around the block, competing with your siblings, being told off by your parents, you had money in your pockets and people to call friends. Am I right?" I rested my cheek on his stomach, facing him.

"Yeah, I suppose that... sums it up," he swallowed hard.

"Well, that's what my life was. Except for the going around the block thing, that's just you. I had a family, I had a little money, I had a future. Me and my sister were actually close, or as close as we could get while still fighting over everything. My dad drove me to dance rehearsals, and my mom tried and failed to teach me how to cook. And even after all that went away, there were bright sides."

"Like what?" he murmured, fingers absentmindedly tracing circles into my shirt along my shoulder. I instinctively shivered under the touch, as light as it was.

"Like I could kick anyone's ass, for example, and I could buy and sell things that you probably couldn't find in your average corner store. Being outside the law has its benefits, you know," I wrinkled my nose slightly, "But sometimes, I'd give up a lot for a nice bottle of expensive perfume. All my contacts were either gang members or druggies. So, not the people who smell nice." A sudden thought stuck me. "Why is it that we always end up talking about my past? I mean, it's not the most cheerful."

"Yeah, but it's interesting," he shrugged looking at the ceiling. "A lot more interesting than being a banker's son."

"Aw, come on, tell me something. It feels like you know everything about me now."

"Well, I didn't know you could dance," he offered, and I waved my hand in the air.

"I liked it, a long time ago. Then I quit. But you're dodging the question. You're really good at that, you know," I narrowed my eyes at him, realizing he didn't answer my previous question either.

"Well, fine. What do you want to hear about?"

"It's the fifteenth century! I barely know anything about this period except that you people liked to paint on churches. I don't know what sort of paint that is, but it really sticks..."

"Well, you've seen Firenze, and you lived in Monteriggoni for over a month. I think you blend in rather well."

"Ah, yes, by the way, remind me to chop off my hair soon. It's getting too long and ruining the entire blending thing.," I lifted a strand thoughtfully.

"Nah, keep it. You can always braid it back or something. You…look nice with longer hair." He ran two fingers through it, and I felt another shiver run down my spine.

"I almost got caught because of it once."

"Well, I'm here to make sure that won't happen. Just trust me."

"And you still dodged the question!" I pointed an accusing finger at him.

"I can't think of anything that you'd want to hear about! I mean, you're from the future. You already know things about the past, but we know nothing of the future."

"For the record, I barely know anything. I didn't even speak Italian until I magically appeared here. And history is very boring, I barely listened to any of it."

"But-"

There was a knock on the door, interrupting him. I shifted my eyebrows together, and sat up. The knock repeated, more urgent this time.

"Yes?" I asked as I opened the door. Lisa looked at me, and then glanced at Ezio, who also stood up with some confusion.

"Er... _Signorina _Cleare, there's a problem."

Arching a brow in question, I shook my head. "And why are you telling me that?" I was getting more confused by the second. She was biting her lip nervously.

"Because there's a man outside with a small mob, asking for you."

"Oh boy. What do they want? Cause I'm fairly sure I don't pay taxes on the account that I'm not a citizen."

"I don't think that's what they want." She seemed scared, and I narrowed my eyes, walking back into the room, to the window. I shifted the heavy curtain to the side.

"Lars," I muttered, and I felt Ezio come up beside me. The mob did not look friendly, with their torches that shone brightly in the night. "I think he took things too personally. I mean, so I left a little harmless explosive in his fireplace. He deserved it!"

"Well, they don't seem amused at your practical jokes. I'll get rid of them."

"No, don't," I put my hand on his shoulder, stopping him, and then began gathering my things.

"What are you doing?" he watched the progress with curiosity and confusion. Lisa was still in the doorway, unsure what to do.

"I'm leaving a little earlier. Go out there, and stall while I get out of here," I shouldered my bag and turned back to him.

"You're leaving?!"

"I'm not going to fight them all. Whatever he told them, it won't bode well for me. Staying is more dangerous, so I'll just meet you in Florence tomorrow afternoon." I explained, and offered him a reassuring smile.

"Listen, we can reason with them-"

"We can, but why?" I grinned brightly, something that did not fit the situation at all. "Adults like to play games as much as children. And since when are you the more mature one?"

"Out of the two of us, I'm definitely more mature."

"Do you really want to get into this discussion while there's a mob outside, waiting to set me on fire?" I raised an eyebrow.

He leaned towards me slightly, staring into my eyes. "Either I don't know you at all, or you're planning something."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I was still smiling coyly.

He stared at me for a long moment, and then sighed, rolling his eyes. "There's no way of talking you out of this, is there?"

"Nope."

"And you're going to do whatever it is you're going to do, no matter what I say?"

"I wouldn't be me if I didn't."

"You're right," he smiled. "Okay, I'll play along. What's your plan?"

"Just go out, and distract them for a few minutes. Tell them I'm gone, or that I died, I don't care. Just keep their attention for as long as you can."

"And what about you?"

"I'll climb out the window. Just don't worry about anything. I'll meet you in Florence, at Leonardo's. I hope your Uncle won't mind me borrowing the horse again."

"I'll deal with Uncle."

I smiled wider, and stood on my toes to give him a brief hug. "Say goodbye to everyone for me," I muttered as he returned the embrace. "Alright, let's get this show on the road."

---

"Lars, we shouldn't be here. If Messer Auditore hears..."

"The witch is in there, she probably has them under some spell. We're doing them a favor," Lars snapped, gripping his torch harder.

"You so sure about that?" Ezio appeared out of thin air, casually leaning on the door frame of the front entrance to the villa, his arms crossed. "_Buona sera_, gentlemen."

"Where is she?!"

"Who?" he asked, noticing a barely detectable movement out of the corner of his eyes.

"That demonic _puttana!_" Lars snarled, shaking his torch menacingly.

"Eden?" he smirked, struggling to remain calm in the face of the mercenary's slur against her, though for all appearances, he looked almost bored with the entire situation. "I'm sure she'll be happy to hear that name for her." The men weren't stupid enough to attack him, hopefully. No innocent blood should be spilled over Eden's careless actions and Lars's arrogance.

"Where is she?!" Lars growled, and Ezio rolled his eyes. Eden had just rushed by the walls, blending in with the gray stones. She needed a few more moments to safely get out of sight.

"I'm afraid _Signorina_ Cleare has left. She won't be coming back, don't worry."

"What?!"

_Eden, I hope you know what you're doing._ Ezio let out a deep breath as he followed her shadow with his eyes. After another second, she disappeared completely.

---

Larsono walked into his house. No, walked is the wrong word. He stormed and raged into the house, his fury running hot. Hurling his coat away from him, and kicking over a chair in a fit, he didn't even bother lighting a candle, sitting in complete darkness, except for the square of moonlight on his floor.

_Wait a moment. That window was closed._

His anger forgotten for a moment, he walked over to it, and bending down, picked up a piece of glass in shock.

"This is a nice place you have." He turned around sharply at the voice. "And I'm sorry about the window." She sat in his one and only armchair, her legs and arms closed, but her voice pleasant. Her face was hidden in a shadow, making her nearly one with the darkness and almost demonic, sending shivers down his spine. But he growled despite the fear growing in him.

"And there I thought you'd leave without giving me a goodbye kiss."

"Still so foolishly bold," she nonchalantly continued. "How I wish I could kill you for that."

"You couldn't kill me, woman," he sneered. "You're weak, that's why you sent out that that son of a-"

"I wouldn't finish that sentence if I were you," she interrupted, still relaxed, but her tone swiftly becoming icy. "I don't let anyone insult my friends. Or their mothers."

"And what are you going to do?" he mocked, "Wave your little dagger at me?"

"Why would I do that?" she was smirking. The next moment, there was a loud noise, and the remaining glass on his window blew up, showering him with shards. He sprung away from the window in shock, backing away from Eden at the same time. Slowly, she stood up. "Keep on patronizing me, and the next thing to blow is your head."

"Get away from me, succubus!" he yelled in panic as she thoughtfully tapped her chin.

"You know, I've been called so many names before... Bitch, orphan, whore, thief." She came closer, moving slowly, making his nerves jump with every sudden twitch. "Killer. Murderer. Assassin." There was a flicker in her hand as a blade appeared out of nowhere. He pressed his back against the wall, his entire being hoping it would swallow him up, anything to get away from her. "But succubus? That's something new. I could gut you alive for that, as well as the little mob of witch hunters you've gathered."

The tip of her blade was now at his throat, and she still remained grinning, her smile carved in stone. "I could easily slit your throat, and I wouldn't feel even a spark of regret." He was shaking now, afraid to even twitch. _She was serious. God, she was serious. She could kill him. She __**would**__ kill him. _"Or I could torture you for a while? Carve designs into your worthless hide? It won't matter, any way I do it, people will just say 'Oh well, poor chap,' and move on. No one will miss you, and the fathers of the girls around this town will praise the skies that you will no longer corrupt their daughters. And that's it. No one will care."

"I- I- I-"

"Coward," she snorted, "Faced with a silly little woman, and you can't do anything but shake like a leaf during a storm." She made a grimace of disgust, taking her blade away from him. "Lucky for you, I don't kill people for being cowardly, arrogant, ignorant and rude. You are still innocent, and I don't kill innocents. But…" she turned over her shoulder. "That doesn't stop me from teaching them a lesson." After a short, terrified yelp on his part, she lifted her fist and slammed it into his face. The force of it made his head snap back and bash against the wall as he howled in pain, frantically pressing his palm into his face. He felt as though his nose was set on fire, blood leaking through his fingers.

"Let's see you charm those poor girls with that wrecked face of yours," she shook her hand a little. Turning away and ignoring the slight sting of her bruised knuckles, she pulled on her gloves.

And while he was trying to see past his pain, she disappeared.

---

I patted the horse on the neck. "Hey girl. Shall we?" My mount responded with a snort, and I sighed. "And now I'm talking to a horse. Do you even have a name, sweetheart?" Of course, the animal did not reply. And I swear I saw her roll her eyes. "Well, then," I hopped into the saddle, making sure my bag was secure, and picked up the reigns. "Let's assume you're mine now, even though I have no idea how to take care of a horse. I don't think I'll be able to come back here." She remained passive as I began riding towards Florence. "How about the name Chestnut?" It snorted. "Oh, I know, I know, very unoriginal. But you have to admit, very fitting."

Another snort, and I laughed shortly. "Fine, fine, you difficult horsey. Oh, god, I'm no good with names. Um, how about..." I thought about it, but somehow, nothing came to mind. "Grr... okay, I'll come up with something," The horse twisted around to glare at me. "Well, honey, you need a name. Then at least I won't feel like a complete idiot talking to a nameless horse. Wait, that's it! Honey! What do you think?" Another indifferent snort. "Strangely enough, I still feel like a complete idiot. Oh well. I'm supposedly insane, so I have an excuse. What's yours for snorting at me all the time?" I paused, and shook my head at myself. "Right. You're a horse. Duh."

I looked back to the walls of Monteriggioni. They were barely visible in the darkness, only the flags waving around on the towers. The little windows of the villa shined from a distance. I took a deep breath, and turned back to the road. This was the first time I traveled alone like this. Hopefully, there won't be a band of suicidal bandits after easy robberies.

---

**Translations**

_Cara mia_ - My darling or Darling of mine

_Che cosa?_ - What?

_Buona sera_ - Good evening

_Puttana – _Bitch or whore


	16. Chapter 15

Florence had been kind to me when I arrived early morning that morning, even if I didn't find Leonardo in his workshop. I had to come in through the window just to see the entire house almost completely empty. He must have moved out in the month and a half that we were gone. So I sat on the one remaining table that was built into the floor, thinking.

I had nowhere else to go in the city, and I was supposed to meet Ezio here. I certainly was not going to sit on the front step with my hands folded, waiting for him. Go to Lorenzo? I doubted he trusted me as he trusted Ezio. From what I gathered, Ezio's father worked for him, or maybe just with him. But I was just some girl who wasn't even technically a citizen. With no ancestry, documents or even a past I could tell people about, I essentially didn't exist.

I took my cellphone out of my bag. As I hadn't used it even once, when I turned it on, the battery was still almost fully charged. Checking the time, it was around 5 am in New York, or at least, it was supposed to be. Meaning it was about 10 in the morning here. Ezio would be catching up soon, maybe in a few hours.

Going back outside, I left a note for the assassin on the front door and then took a walk, towards the market.

Suddenly I caught sight of something. Or actually, _someone_. Tensing slightly, my eyes darted to his back; it was one of the soldiers from Rome, alone. I wasn't sure if it was one of the dog walkers, but curiosity got the better of me. Not to mention, my gut instincts were kicking into high gear.

When I began following him, he stopped for a moment, nervously looking around. Ducking, I immediately turned towards a fruit stall. Smiling at the man behind the table, I quickly bought an apple, though I kept the armored soldier in my peripheral vision.

My head snapped back to focus my attention as the soldier began walking again. Tailing him at a decent distance, I moved away from the stall. He stopped again, glancing around and almost catching my gaze. But I had years of practice in this sort of thing. Tossing the apple in the air and catching it as though I was out for Sunday stroll, as soon as he began moving, I was on him. However, as he left the market, turning into a nearly empty street, someone grasped my hand, forcing me to look down.

"Can you spare a coin, _Signora?_ I'll give you advice in return!" the beggar babbled, looking at me with desperation. Dirt smeared on his face, his ripped hat was lopsided and his clothes were ragged and torn. It wasn't the first time I'd seen beggars. I could sympathize; there was a time when the only thing that stopped me from getting down on my knees and pleading the strangers that passed by were the scraps of pride I had left. Opening my mouth slightly, I glanced back to the retreating back of the soldier.

"Yeah, here. No need for advice," I swallowed hard, giving the man the apple and dropping some coins into his hands. His face brightening through the soot and grime, I pulled my hand out of his grip and continued on my way. The soldier had almost disappeared out of my sight.

"Protect the Prophet with your life, if you have to, _Signora!_" he hissed. I froze, my eyes widening and my head snapping around. But the beggar was gone, as if he was never there. 'The Prophet?' What did he mean, protect the Prophet? What prophet?! Who was I supposed to protect with my life?!

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I turned back to the man I was following. The beggar was most likely drunk, spewing nonsense at everyone who walked by. Hurrying to the alley I saw the soldier disappear in, I snuck behind him, though still keeping my distance. When he came to a stop, I speedily darted behind a few stacked crates in the alley, watching through the crack between the boards as the man met up with someone else.

"Well?"

"They are on their way to Venezia right now."

"Good. I'll contact the Maestro. Were you followed?"

"I don't think so."

"Good," the new soldier repeated. He sounded pleased. "We heard the assassin is coming back to Firenze."

"He hasn't shown up yet. There were no sign of him, or that woman. She shouldn't pose a threat though." Clenching my teeth, I bit down a hiss of retort. I was getting _real_ tired of being chronically dismissed as a weak woman who was barely even worth mentioning. You'd think they would have learned their lesson by now.

"Careful. She walks in step with the assassin. The Maestro told us not to underestimate either of them."

"There will be no mistakes."

"You better hope so. There's no room for mistakes anymore, especially not from us." I processed that. These were good news - there's nothing worse than killing all of them just to find out that it was their plan from the beginning. The Templars were worried, and that was as good a sign as any that we were doing everything right.

I stood up, barely a shadow in the dark, nearly empty alleyway, and followed the two as they began to walk away.

---

"The Pazzi are dead," Ezio declared as he was greeted by Lorenzo, "All of them."

"That is excellent news!" the man nodded with a smile. "I must admit," he swiftly frowned, expression falling, "I have never wished another man's death so badly."

"Nor have I," the young assassin shook his head, pondering.

"So tell me, my boy, what will you do now?" Lorenzo waved his hand to one of his men, and he disappeared in the palazzo.

"I must leave. They are already sinking their claws into the heart of Venezia," he sighed as he showed Lorenzo the letter he'd stripped off on of the conspirator's bodies.

"No, not beautiful Venezia!" Lorenzo declared, voice dropping with solemn worry. "Well, I wish you the best of luck then, Ezio. And what of _Signorina_Eden Cleare?" he asked with some curiosity.

"She's in Florence, most likely arrived this morning. I'm supposed to meet her at a friend's house."

"Send her my gratitude for her assistance. And before you leave..." The servant returned from palazzo, carrying something. "This cape will mark you as a friend of the Medici," Lorenzo explained, "The city guard will be more...tolerant of you." Ezio bowed his head in gratitude and reached for it, but Lorenzo stopped his hand for a moment. "But remember, it will not grant you immunity from the law."

"Of course," he accepted, taking the cape.

"And also, there are certain favors I might request of you. There are still those men that were involved in the conspiracy here, as well as threatening our allies and operations."

"It will be my honor, _Signore_."

Placing his hands on his shoulders in a sign of respect and farewell, Lorenzo wished his new ally good luck. Gratefully wishing _Il Magnifico _the same, Ezio bowed off, and left, clipping the new red and gold cape to his armor on his way.

---

Panting hard, I put the long dagger under the man's chin, lifting his face up to face me. Swallowing down the coppery taste in my mouth as I glanced to the side, I quickly made sure the other one was dead and not moving.

"And now, you are going to tell me everything you know about Rodrigo Borgia and his plans." The man was sitting against the wall, one of his legs broken, a hole in his side, his face bruised. He stared at me defiantly, and clenched his teeth, making it clear he wouldn't talk. But I knew this process well. I'd get it out of him eventually.

---

"_Signore_, Maestro Leonardo has received an order from someone in Venice," the passing man explained when he heard Ezio drumming on the door of the artist's former studio. "He paid for the entire workshop to be moved there. It's a big opportunity!"

"Thank you friend," Ezio sighed, nodding in gratitude. As the man left, he sat down on the step beside the door, thinking. He was supposed to meet Eden here, and he wanted to say goodbye to his friend. Though now they were going to be in the same city anyway...

Glancing back at the door in thought, he suddenly noticed the note tucked into a small crack of the wood. Inside were a few hastily scribbled words in ink.

~_"Leo has left the building, I don't know where. I'll be in the marketplace. Or meet me back here around 1 o'clock. - Eden"~_

He looked up, trying to determine the time by the position of the sun, since the nearest cathedral with a clock was out of sight. It was around one to three after noon, he decided. She should be heading back, unless she had more precise ways of determining time. Considering the entire "being from the future thing," it wouldn't surprise him if she had a clock the size of a peanut or something.

He crossed his arms and leaned onto the frame, waiting. As the minutes ticked by, he found himself becoming more and more twitchy. She was late, and he was beginning to worry. What if something happened? _I shouldn't have let her out of my sight, Lars and his stupid pride be damned!_ Now what? Where could he possibly search for her in a city as large as Firenze?

"Hey!" Her voice made his head snap up. As she stopped a few steps away, he speedily took in that she looked tired as hell.

"Hey yourself. What kept-" He suddenly noted her bleeding lip. And the fact that her clothes and weapons were stained with blood underneath her cloak. Lifting her chin with his hand, he let it hover there, even a she warily took him in. "Your lip-"

"What?" She brought a hand up to her face with some surprise, and dabbed her fingers on her lip. Staring at the red on her skin with interest, she sighed.

"Are you alright?" he asked, his irritation for her lateness evaporating and quickly replaced with concern.

"Yeah...found a few of Borgia's men. Interrogation didn't go as smoothly as I hoped."

"Are they..."

"Dead? Yes, I wouldn't fancy them running off to report on us," Eden shrugged, "But I'm getting tired of staining all my clothes with blood. How the hell do you manage to walk around in white without a single drop of blood on you?!"

"Magic," he smirked, dropping her chin as she mock-glared.

"More like bleach."

"What did you find out?" he changed the topic, not bothering to ask of this "bleach" she mentioned, and watching as she wiped the blood off of her lips and chin.

"Oh, lot's of things. Like the fact that the Templars knew you were coming here and that we're heading to Venice. And since it's something like their base at the moment, they will try to stop you. And they also just shipped the dogs there, too, which explains why they weren't in San Gimignano. And also a whole bunch of useless junk on how we'll never win, and Borgia is going to rule...you know, the usual crap villains and their henchmen say." He tried to process all of her rambling information, his eyes going wide and expression shifting to confusion.

"What?" she waved.

"Never mind," he replied.

"Do you have any idea where Leonardo went?" she peered at the empty workshop.

"Yes, a passing man told me he received some offer in Venice. Apparently, he's moving his entire workshop there."

"Really?" she seemed surprised, "That's strange, I thought-" She suddenly bit her lip, and stopped talking.

"Thought what?"

"Oh, nothing. Just that one bit of history I remember. It's nothing. Are we leaving now?"

"Unless you have anything better to do, yes, we're leaving," he waved his hand down the street, towards the gates, and she fell into step with him.

"So what happened with Lars?" she suddenly asked, a light smirk playing on her lips.

"After you left, Uncle heard the commotion. He sorted them out quickly," he shrugged, and then suddenly smiled. "Considering what you did to him, as well, I don't think they'll be attempting to burn witches any time soon."

"Yeah, sorry about all of it. To tell the truth, I never actually expected them to think I'm a witch. Especially over a rejection. I mean, come on! I turned down at least three dozens drunken guys in my life, and none of them tried to force me into a marriage or burn me at the stake!"

Smiling, he reached over to smooth down her ruffled hair. "Don't think about it anymore. It's all in the past now."

"Well, yeah, but that's easier said than done. I mean, how many more of these idiots will try to do something like this?" She continued walking when he suddenly froze, only realizing he wasn't following anymore after a few steps. She turned to face him, confused and concerned. "Are you okay?"

He wasn't looking at her, though. Rather, he was staring at the execution stage in the middle of the plaza.

~_He had to... had to get there... stop them... somehow..._

_The dull but rising roar of rage filling his head, he began to see red as he listened to the lies of Uberto. He saw his father's eyes flicker to him with recognition, and warning. Petruccio looked terrified and near tears, Federico, stunned into silence. They could have never seen this coming, neither expected to die here, not this soon._

_And then they pulled the lever. He failed. But he'd be damned if he didn't make Uberto suffer his pain a hundred fold.~_

_"Ezio!"_ Eden repeated a fifth time before putting her hands on the sides of his face, and firmly turning him to her, "Snap out of it! Please!"

Blinking a few times, his gaze focused on her after a moment. Eyes wide with worry and cheeks flushed, her gaze narrowed suddenly, darting between him and gallows. She must have added two and two together..."Come on, let's get out of here," she quietly ordered. She pulled him away from the stage as the people started to pause to look around at them. All but dragging him forward, as the plaza disappeared out of sight, so did his angry haze, though not completely. "That is just sick. In freaking public, too," she muttered. She was going to let go of his hand, but he squeezed it again, the warmth comforting.

"I'm so sorry, Ezio-"

"I could only watch," he choked on the words, "There was nothing I could do - it all happened so fast..."

"It's okay, Ezio, I know," she said soothingly, "None of this is your fault, remember that. And the ones responsible have and will die."

"It's not going to bring any of them back."

"No, it won't," she leaned forward so that she could see under his hood. Her brown eyes stared into his. "But don't think about bringing them back, think of making sure their death was not in vain. It's a lesson I failed to learn, but you are doing a lot better than that. Your father would have been proud of you. Your brothers as well."

That made his eyes snap to hers in surprise. There was understanding in her gaze. She watched her mother die, as he watched half his family murdered before him. Both of them saw their lives fall apart, mutating into something unfamiliar and cold. And both had been unable to do anything to stop it.

---

I was trying to get some sleep, leaning onto the side of the small caravan we hired. Sadly, the horses would have to stay behind. Since the only way to travel to Venice would be by boat, it was a lot easier this way. Besides, we decided it would be safer. The fact that the Templars knew when Ezio was traveling and where he was heading alarmed both of us.

There were no other passengers heading this way, to my relief - it would have been hard to explain the blood that still clung to my clothes. Ezio sat across from me, watching the road absently. I tended to my wounds and my split lip. Trying to occupy my time with something afterwards, I attempted to at least get some sleep since I got almost none last night.

Ezio suddenly called for the caravan to stop, and I was shaken awake, after bumping my head on the boards.

"What is it?" By the scenery outside, I'd say we were beside some mountains. I didn't know the geography very well, but I trusted Ezio to make sure we didn't end up in some sort of ditch.

"Leonardo," he replied shortly, and got out of the passenger carriage. Confused, I grabbed my things, and followed. He said something to the driver, who nodded and turned around, heading back to Florence. Looking around, I still didn't understand what was going on. And then I smiled when I saw Leonardo standing beside his wagon, looking somewhat confused and scratching the back of his head in thought.

"Leonardo!" Ezio greeted as we came closer, and the artist looked around, startled. However, he broke out into a wide, beaming smile when he saw us. I couldn't help by laugh with appreciation.

"Ezio! Eden! What luck! I've run into a bit of trouble..." he looked back to the carriage, and I just noticed the back, left wheel that was nearly falling off. "I know how to fix it, but lack the means to do so."

"Is there any way I can help?" Ezio asked, coming to examine the wheel.

"If you could just lift the wagon..."

"No problem." I stared at him with some disbelief. The carriage looking very heavy, he wouldn't actually be able to-

He did. Ezio put both hands underneath the frame, and with a small grunt, lifted it up. Immediately, Leonardo set to work on fixing the wheel, while I came up beside Ezio, looking inside the wagon. When I saw what lay in there, half concealed by a cover, my eyes widened in shock.

"Leonardo, what is that thing?" Ezio saw it too. Leo looked up with a questioning look. "It looks like a giant bat!"

"Oh, well, just a project of mine that I've been working on. I couldn't leave it behind," the master packed up his tools, talking somewhat fast. "I shouldn't really talk about it... Ah, what the hell! I can't keep it in anymore!" I smiled at his nearly contagious excitement. I knew what the machine was all too well. We studied some of the inventions in school, in mechanics class, so I actually remembered his theories. "I think I figured out how to make a man fly!" Leonardo looked at both of us expectantly.

I struggled to keep my face straight instead of jumping up and down in excitement, while Ezio only chuckled, as if to say "Ah, you _crazy_ genius," and waved his hand. "Come on," he patted Leonardo on the back, "I'll drive."

"But I haven't even told you where I was going." Leonardo looked somewhat confused as he followed the assassin to the front of the carriage, while I pulled myself up on top of it. The surface was flat and easy to hold on to, even with the wobbling that began once we started moving. I dropped my belongings inside through the small trap door, and sat on the edge of the wagon at the front.

"Why are you going to Venice, anyway?" I asked, curious. The offer to move the workshop was nice and all, but it couldn't have been the only reason Leonardo wanted to move there so readily.

"Ah, beautiful Venezia, it's so full of inspiration!" he exclaimed, and I heard Ezio give a low chuckle. "Santa Maria, San Marco, the Doge's Palace..." he listed, counting off on his fingers. But I wasn't listening anymore. Looking behind us in alarm as I heard more horses, and yelling, I put my hand on Ezio's shoulder.

"I hear it…we're not alone!" he called down to where Leonardo sat carriage. He shouted, spurring the horses into a gallop, something that was definitely not safe on a narrow path like that. I was almost thrown off, but managed to hold on. "Borgia's men!"

"What?!" Leonardo didn't seem to have the faintest idea of what was going on. "What do they want with us?"

In that moment, an arrow whistled through the air and buried itself _way_ too close to my hand. "I think they want us dead!" Ezio was panicking slightly, trying to steer the horses without turning the carriage over. "Both of you, hide!"

I didn't even think of arguing, since out of the three of us, he was the one with the reins, and the only one with any idea what to do. Climbing over the back, I nearly fell and tumbled inside, Leonardo following quickly. I immediately rushed over to the window, avoiding the flying machine. There were five soldiers on our tail, closing in on horseback. Then I noticed the archers lined up along either side of the road, and cursed quietly. The pursuers were quickly catching up, and I looked around desperately. My bag rolling back and forth as the wagon rocked violently, I got down onto my knees for balance and began chasing after it. Leonardo was holding on for his dear life, looking frightened and bewildered.

Not that I blamed him. If we didn't get killed by Borgia's fiends, then we'd die from getting thrown from carriage. Or going over the edge of the mountain from Ezio's rather perilous driving skills.

I nearly got a hold of my bag when the road turned sharply, throwing me to the side of the carriage. Grinding my teeth as I hit my side, I still attempted to grab my bag again. That was when the first man jumped onto the carriage.

"Oh, I don't think so!" I launched myself to the side that was lifting off the ground, balancing it out, at the same time stabbing the leg of the soldier with a knife that was up my sleeve. He yelped, and fell down to the road, his screams echoing behind us as the carriage rolled right over him. There was another turn, and I barely managed to hold on to the edge of my seat. The other pursuers were catching up now, their orders to "kill the assassins!" snapping in the air. A few more arrows found their mark in the roof of the wagon, their tips thudding menacingly into the wood.

"Who makes roads like these, anyway?!" I shouted through the noise of the carriage, horses, and the soldiers as I ducked. There was another jerk, but now in a different direction. I hurried to get to the other side of the carriage, peeking out the window to access the situation. Snapping out of his daze, Leonardo finally caught up, and did the same.

"We're almost at the bridge!" I heard Ezio yell. Looking out the window, I groaned at the doomed sight ahead of us. The bridge Ezio was referring to, the only way to get across and our only way forward, was currently in the process of being set on fire by more of Borgia's men.

_You've got to be joking!_ I angrily thought. A sniper rifle, or maybe even an air strike to take them out would've been a godsend right about now. "You aren't actually going to go through there, are you?!" I shouted up to Ezio. Then again, I knew the answer long before I asked the question. As we neared the bridge, I had the strongest urge to jump out of the window before it was too late. The wooden bridge was obviously going to crash down at any moment, and this insane moron wanted to go over it?!

"Hold on!!" Ezio yelled, and I nearly shrieked, falling to the floor once I saw the flames engulf the carriage as it went up on two wheels again. Leonardo did the same, wanting to be as far away from the fire as possible. Grabbing his arm, I yanked him to me, keeping him away from harm. No way would I let Ezio's insane antics or Borgia's bastards destroy the space-time continuum and kill the artist far before his time.

After a few moments, the wagon dropped onto the ground again. The horses whinnying in fear and scared as hell, like I was, were now running nearly twice as fast. And if things weren't bad enough, the archers began shooting flaming arrows at the road ahead of us, setting fallen trees and abandoned wagons on fire in our path. I somehow wound up at the front of the carriage, pressed against the wood.

"I swear to _God_, Ezio Auditore di Firenz-whatever! If we make it out of here alive, I will fucking _kill you!!!_" I managed to scream at him, pounding on the wall before I was thrown to the floor again by another turn. By some miracle, we avoided the fires, and the carriage careened on.

"We're almost there! Just a little longer!" Leonardo reassured me. Of course, just as more soldiers caught up again, and leaped on the back of the carriage. My blood ran cold as one pulled himself up onto the roof, and we heard him crawl to the front where Ezio was.

"Dammit!" we heard him growl. The carriage went out of control for a few harrowing moments before we heard a scream. As we finally evened out, I let out a short breath of relief. "Leonardo, get up here!" Ezio ordered. The artist complied, climbing out while holding his beret, which somehow magically stayed on his head the entire trip. The man certainly had style. "They're here for me! Get yourself and Eden to safety, I'll catch up later."

"Like hell!" I seethed, but it was too late - I saw a flash of his white robes as he hopped off the wagon while it was still moving. Landing onto the ground and going into a rather graceful roll, he speedily popped back up to his feet.

I climbed up back onto the roof, since the carriage was now going at normal speed again. Thankfully, there were no more pursuers. Looking back, I saw as about a half a dozen soldiers had caught up with Ezio, who simply stood there, blocking their way over the bridge. I didn't miss him hurl off a few vicious taunts and insults, mostly involving the bed-related activities of some of the guards' mothers. Followed by his gleeful laugh, the sound of metal clashing on metal drifted past my ears as Leo drove the carriage around a narrow bend. I bit my lip, cursing under my breath.

_"Che idiota!"_

"He knows what he's doing," Leonardo sighed in reply. He was still shaken from the more than bumpy ride, but he sounded confident.

"That noble trait of his is going to get him killed one day," I muttered, trying to calm my near-shattered nerves, and get the pumping of adrenaline out of my ears. "I just hope it's not today."

---

Forli was a grim place, worse than Monteriggioni before any of the buildings were fixed. It was cold, wet, dark and dank. The skies overcast and gray, a lingering mist made everything even damper, if that were possible. The area outside the walls was almost completely consumed by the swamps, most of the houses abandoned. The walls themselves were an unpleasant shade of gray, their ancient stones slashed with green algae crawling up from the waterline of the moat surrounding them. The people were also far from cheerful, glaring at the carriage as it drove by, going around the walls to the docks. I didn't mind the dirty looks one bit - I'd seen worse. But Leonardo was constantly glancing around, curious and nervous at the same time.

"Ah, how lovely," I commented as we finally came to a stop. "Watch your step, or you'll get some of the local culture on your boots."

"Have you been here before?" Leonardo asked, holding out his hand to help me get down, probably out of habit and manners. I shook my head, simply hopping down.

"No, but I've lived in a place that's just about as depressing and muddy as this one."

"And where is that, if you don't mind me asking?" he asked curiously.

"No where important. I'm sorry, Leo, I don't like speaking about it."

"Of course." He seemed a little confused, but let it go. "Would you mind helping me carry these on board?" he opened the door of his carriage.

"Sure. Am I allowed on?" I asked, easily picking up one of the crates. "The man in front of the boat looks suspiciously like a bouncer."

"Bouncer?" he replied with confusion.

"Security," I shrugged.

"Oh, I see. I'm sure we can figure something out." I nodded and followed him as he walked towards the man. I noted that he kept his hands free.

"And who are you?" the man snorted with annoyance. I could plainly tell that he was already bored with asking the question over and over again. And irritated to be even doing this thankless job in the first place.

"Leonardo da'Vinci, and that's my assistant. I have a pass right here," Leonardo presented a letter. The bouncer barely spared the parchment a glance, mainly focusing on the seal and signature, and waved his hand. Either he didn't recognize me as a woman, or simply didn't care. Another man walked towards us, helping carry all the things on board.

"Thanks," I whispered to Leonardo as I set the crate down in the cargo part of the ship.

"Oh course. Now, we just have to wait for Ezio to make it here, and we'll be on our way to Venezia."

"We might have to wait a while longer, then, it seems," I muttered, crossing my arms.

"What do you mean?"

"The fact that Ezio just trotted past on a horse around the city walls."

"Did he? Well, we still have time. Maybe he's making sure none of Borgia's men followed," Leonardo shrugged, watching more of his belongings being carried onboard. The sailor helping us looked at the flying machine with confusion, unsure how to get it below decks to the luggage hold safely.

We'd arrived a lot earlier than needed, due to the speed we gained while trying to lose the soldiers on our tails. I sighed heavily, glancing around the docks. Aside from dirty fishermen, drunks, random fishnets, loose boards, brown grass, and misty water, there was nothing here worth noting. How this hole could be this crowded, I'd never know. It wasn't even raining - the fog just hung in the air heavily, clinging to my clothes and blurring my vision. Or maybe it was the exhaustion I felt.

Ezio showed up twenty minutes later. I was sitting on one of the crates on board, leaning onto my hand, half asleep. I barely noticed Leonardo come off the ship to greet him, opening my eyes slightly, feeling as if little weights were tied to my eyelashes.

"Ezio! Over here!" Leonardo waved his hand, though I think the young assassin already saw him. His hood was thrown back for once, his black hair looking slightly ruffled, as were his robes. It looked like he even missed a few lacings along his doublet beneath his robes. "Is everything alright?"

"Yes, everything is _fine_, my friend," he smirked. _Well, __**something**__ went well for him_, I distantly thought, far to tired to think on it any more.

"All aboard!" The bouncer called, sounding very bored. I perked up slightly, though still refusing to lift my head up.

"Well, this is us," Leonardo stepped onto the board connecting the docks and the boat. But as Ezio tried to pass, the man stopped him.

"Where's your pass?" the bouncer demanded.

"What pass?" my partner in crime seemed confused.

"Who invited you to Venezia?" I almost groaned. So _now _he started to do his job properly?

"Uhh... no one."

"No pass, no entry!" he snapped. I sighed, leaning my forehead onto my hands again. I was too tired for this.

"Don't worry, I'll think of something," Ezio called out. I opened one eye to glare at the assassin. The ship was leaving in about fifteen minutes. What was he going to come up with? Sneak on board? Bribe the bouncer? Hell, stab the bouncer? Well, that'd be way out of line, considering his understandable aversion to knifing innocents. Maybe swim after the boat? That would be entertaining to watch, of course, but...

---

Ezio looked around in thought. The violent waves crashed against the docks, not helping his concentration one bit. How could he get on board? It was vital to get to Venice, and there was no other way of doing so other than by ferry. He didn't know how Eden managed to get past the stern old man checking the passes, because as far as he knew, she was not invited by anyone onboard.

The clock was ticking though. He considered walking away to swim around and climb on board, but he'd be easily noticed. Paying off the boarding man didn't look like it was going to fly, either. So what was there left to do?

"Don't just stand there! I need help!" the scream interrupted his thoughts. He glanced around, his eyes searching for the source of the infuriated yelling. Soon, he spotted a young, beautiful and richly dressed, red haired woman, standing on one of the large rocks in the middle of the swamp. How she managed to get there without soaking her dress, was a mystery. The corner of his lips pulled up slightly, as he looked around again, and spotted a gondola not far from where he stood. It didn't seem like anyone else was in a hurry to save her, and he always did have a thing for damsels in distress. Leonardo threw him a curious look as he made for the small boat, but didn't ask any questions.

The woman noticed him as he made his way to her, rowing somewhat awkwardly. Her yells dying on her lips, she arched a questioning brow, especially as he made his way closer. The water was calmer here, and he had little trouble steering around the stones and docks.

Lithely jumping from the boat onto land, he bowed. "Madonna," he greeted respectfully, offering her his hand. She rewarded him with a grateful, if controlled smile. As she carried herself with a noble's grace, she must have been important. _Perhaps this is the key to getting on board of the ferry to Venice_, he mused.

"Oh, you are _good_," she silkily replied, comely face made even more stunning by her sparkling blue eyes and knowing smile, "The ladies must like you." Taking his hand and lifting the hem of her skirt with her own, she stepped into the gondola, taking a graceful seat. As he began rowing again and heading back to the docks, she blithely said, "Thank you, Ser...?"

"Ezio. Just Ezio," he smoothly said as charmingly as possible. And it was _quite _charming.

"Very well. My name is Caterina. Now, we _must_ find a suitable reward for you," she replied almost suggestively, her voice pleasant and even. "Would you have anything in mind?"

"There is, perhaps, one thing..."

"I'm _all_ ears."

---

"Ezio, do you know who that is?" Leonardo asked, leaning onto the railing on the side of the boat.

"My next conquest?" the man blithely replied, voice low with suggestion and watching out of the corner of his eye as the woman cursed and yelled something at a man on the dock. A light smirk played on his lips.

Leonardo let out a short laugh, "I don't think so. That is Caterina Sforza, Lady of Imola and Forli. Her husband-"

_"Husband?!"_

"…Is the Duke of Forli! That woman is powerful and dangerous as she is young and beautiful." Turning around to catch a last glimpse of her, Ezio leaned onto the rails, still smiling.

"Sounds like my type of woman," he smoothly replied. Leonardo rolled his eyes, and then suddenly glanced at Eden, who was sleeping on the stacked crates.

"You have a death wish, then!" Eden said from her spot on the crated, one eye open. "Women like her usually kill off their husbands fairly quickly. Lovers, even faster."

"What's your point?"

"Unless you want to realize that the pepper in your soup isn't actually pepper at all, keep away from her," she made a rolling gesture with her shoulders.

"I take it you don't like her?"

"Me? No, she's my hero, role model, whatever," she grinned, eyes lighting up with genuine admiration. "Did you hear her swear at the fat guy on the docks? Priceless. The woman has enviable talent, and questionable sanity," she smiled slightly, closing both her eyes now.

"Have you heard of her-?"

"Shh. Sleeping," she muttered. Leonardo looked at her with amusement.

"Where did you find her, my friend? She's really something."

"What do you mean?" the former noble was taken by surprise.

"Nothing at all. Except it seems to me that our friend is not so innocent herself."

"What gave it away? The amount of weapons on her?" Ezio asked, unsure where this conversation was heading.

"And the fact that she has blood on her at all times. You have to take better care of her, Ezio," the artist shrugged, looking at him somewhat reproachfully.

"She can take care of herself, trust me."

"Perhaps. Yet she looks very..."

"Sweet and harmless while sleeping? Yes, I've noticed. But believe me, my friend, when she's awake, she's as far as you can get from that."

---

I woke up somewhere in the middle of the trip, noting the slight change in temperature. It was warm. Very warm. Opening one eye, I quickly realized I hadn't moved from the crates, and the boat was still floating somewhere. The weather remained somewhat sad and overcast, and the air biting my cheeks with cold. The source of the warmth was my own cloak that was spread over me, something I did not remember doing before. And the fact that I'd slumped against Ezio's shoulder in my sleep. His Medici cloak was draped across my lap, accounting for even more warmth.

"Sorry, I didn't mean to wake you." Ezio's voice made me jump, and I turned my head slightly, "You were shivering."

"Mmm," I hummed, still mostly asleep. Glancing over to him with my eyes half closed, he was sitting beside me, looking into the waves thoughtfully. "You need a shave. And a bath," I wrinkled my nose.

"Why is that?" he raised an eyebrow, glancing at me. I smiled slightly.

"You smell of sex." He silently arched a brow, neither admitting nor denying a thing. "And you have hay in your hair." Sitting up, I reached over to pick some of it out of his loosely tied pony tail and hood. "What have you been doing? Or, _who_, I think is the better question?"

He chuckled. "A rather charming woman by the name Amelia."

"Considering you're here, I suppose it didn't work out? How are you? Dying of heartbreak, hopefully?" I breathed deeply, closing my eyes again. Between him and my cloak, I was rather warm, though still very tired. I didn't want to argue, but the last comment came out slightly more angry than I intended. While I was worrying about whether or not he'd even show up, he was frickin' sleeping around on his way?

"Not jealous, are you?" he asked slyly, and I snorted.

"Keep dreaming. I Just don't understand what such beautiful women like Caterina Sforza see in a dirty assassin like you."

"I'll just assume you're joking, to avoid a blow on my ego."

"Whatever helps you sleep at night. How long until Venice?"

"Not long. We should be there within the hour."

"And where's Leonardo?" I was too lazy to actually look around for the artist.

"Around somewhere. Actually..." he looked around, "Now that you mention it, I'm not sure."

"Well, damn. We lost Leonardo," I said in monotone. I really didn't care at the moment.

"I'm sure he's just looking around bellow deck." He didn't seem in a big hurry to find his friend, either. After a short silence, in which I managed to lean against his shoulder again and almost fall back asleep, he suddenly asked, "Do you know if that thing can actually fly?"

I twisted my neck to follow his gaze. He was looking at the flying machine with some curiosity and skepticism.

"Well, I can't tell you that, now, can I? How about you try and see how fast you end up a pancake on the ground," I sighed, and shivered again, wrapping the cloak tighter around myself. It was getting colder the more North we moved. By my guess, it was technically the middle of winter right now, though it was not nearly as cold as New York at this time. There was no snow, either. The winter here was more like mid fall in America. Which made me a little sad - I loved snow as much as I loved rain. "Just wake me up when we get there."

"Very well," he quietly replied.

I closed my eyes again, and fell asleep. For once, without any dreams. Just the familiar warmth of an assassin beside me, and the crashing of the waves filling my ears.


	17. Chapter 16

Venice. Beautiful and alive, the streets filled with people, the buildings towering magnificently over their heads. Flowing canals, a clear sky, warm colors, gorgeously carved statues and balconies. All of it was still there in the twenty first century. But so much more stunning in it' peak, it was utterly breathtaking. Before the buildings starting chipping, when the fresh pink marble of the palaces still bathed the streets with a warm glow, before it was rocked by earthquakes and the possibility of sinking on it moorings. Elegant gondolas traveled the labyrinth of canals. People were not wearing jeans and shirts of my time, but finely woven clothes of silk and velvet, decorated with lace and golden stitches. The sounds, were, of course like any other city I'd been to so far; the merchants calling, the heralds announcing someone's execution or a new law put in place, couples fighting, sailors swearing. But it did not lessen my excitement.

Standing by the dock, and my jaw was all but falling off at the shock of simply taking it all in. After the dirty backstreets of New York, Italy continued to amaze me with its beauty and its unique architecture. I barely noticed that Ezio came to stand beside me, leaving Leonardo's side for a moment.

"_Magnifico_, isn't it?"

"Oh, definitely," I agreed with a delighted sigh. I heard him chuckle.

"Sadly, the underbelly of _Venezia_ is just like any other-" I cut him off.

"Don't you ruin this for me, Auditore. For now, I'm just happy with the knowledge that there was beauty in the world, at one point or another."

"As you wish," he smiled at me warmly, and gestured to Leonardo, who was in the process of making sure everything was in order. I mentally went over my things too, out of habit. I also decided to screw secrecy. Glancing around to ensure no one was paying attention, I tucked one of my guns into the back of my trousers, securing it against my skin using a loop on my swordbelt that'd normally secure a second, full-size dagger. While I never had a swordbelt, it was still in easy reach, like it was before when I went on Larry's jobs. And that'd saved my life more than a few times. Thankfully, my cape concealed it at my back. I wasn't going to risk going without my weapon of choice anymore. It seemed that things had gotten a whole lot more dangerous as of late than when we were in Tuscany. The enemy was getting craftier, bolder, and deadlier. Not to mention they were fully aware of us now. A few knives, no matter how truly aimed, were not going to take down big things that came at you, like those Brute guards or the rabid puppies.

Speaking of which...

"Well-" Leonardo began saying as he straightened out, but he was interrupted by a man making his way towards us.

"Maesto da'Vinci?"

"Yes, that's me," Leo blinked a few times.

"Welcome to Venezia! My name is Alvise da Vilandino. I am obliged to escort you to your new workshop, and give you a short introduction to our city!" the new arrival explained enthusiastically. He was a man in about his thirties, with dark, close-cropped hair, a neatly trimmed goatee and a tanned, olive complexion. Somewhat attractive and dressed in commoner's clothing, he seemed eager to get started on the tour. "If you will just follow me, I will show you the wonders of Venezia!" As he gestured at us to follow him with a flourish, a few men came up to pick up Leonardo's baggage. I glanced at Ezio, pursing my lips and widening my eyes in a stunned grimace. Alvise was like a tour guide on speed. Ezio snorted and grinned back.

"At least he likes his job," he shrugged, lowering his voice to a whisper, and I snickered. "Come, let's follow them."

"Not like we have any better place to be at the moment," I shrugged, and walked beside him, looking around curiously. "Hm. So I guess there are things that look better in the future."

"What do you mean?" Ezio asked, glancing up at the bridge we just passed by.

"This is the Rialto Bridge, yes? We talked about it in class at one point."

"And you actually listened?"

I rolled my eyes. "Mechanic and design class are different than history."

"You've studied those things?" Leonardo asked, looking back at us. I was surprised he heard the quiet conversation.

"Uh... yes, I did. In school. I sort of had to," I shrugged noncommittally. "I hated history, but I like mechanical classes. It actually came in useful." I hoped he would go back to the sight seeing, and abandon the conversation. Luckily, Alvise, the tour guide leading us, chose this moment to start speaking again.

"You won't find bigger markets than in Venezia!" he crowed with enthusiasm, "Anything you need - silks, spices, you can find it here!" I barely paid attention to him, though I turned around to see what the growing commotion was about. It appeared that it wasn't some strange parade, but a group of the city guards with spears walking through the market. People stopped their routines to watch as they squared in on the owner of a small fish stall. The poor man seemed to know what was coming, like this was a regular occurrence here.

"We warned you to stay home!" one of the men boomed.

"I paid my rent! I have every right to sell here!" he tried to reason loudly and somewhat pathetically as the guards stopped in front of him.

"Emilio thinks differently!" With that, they began hitting the fish on the table and sweeping it all off onto the ground. The man stared in horror as his merchandise was ruined. I frowned as I watched, unsure whether to interfere or not. No one else seemed to even attempt to.

"Maybe we should continue the tour... elsewhere," our tour guide asked, eager to continue moving. Leonardo gulped, and nodded, visibly frightened.

"Emilio?" I whispered to Ezio, who'd also taken in the scene as we continued moving, "Is that-"

"Yes," he nodded, and I looked back again as the merchant, nearly in tears, walked away from his ruined stall.

"Should I follow them?"

"No, I think-" We stopped once more, interrupted by the tour guide. His chatter was getting a little annoying now, and I suddenly couldn't wait to get away from him. But this time, we didn't stop to hear about the absolute superiority that Venice had over the rest of the world. Mostly, it was because Leonardo suddenly spotted something. He moved towards a small shop, where a little wooden figurine I've seen artists use for reference stood. Picking it up gently, as if afraid to break it, he smiled with glee.

"Isn't it amazing?!" He wore a look of childish excitement of his face as he showed it to us, and I almost cooed. Luckily, I had some dignity left, so I just settled for a smile. "Could you get it for me? I... sort of left my money in my bags," he asked Ezio with embarrassment. Crossing his arms and shaking his head, Ezio couldn't hold back a smile himself as he then reached for his pouch of florins. But before he could reply, a band of thieves stormed by, knocking a few people off their feet in the process, and swiping off seemingly random merchandise from the stalls. The four of us, along with the rest of the street stared after them in bewilderment.

Suddenly, someone crashed into Ezio, making his stumble a few steps. "Hey! Watch it, you jerk!" The thief paused for a second, and looked over his shoulder, with a flip of black hair. I noted with surprise that it was actually a woman. Glaring at him and giving him a speedy, if predatory once-over, she opened her mouth as if about to reply. However, she seemed to suddenly decide it just wasn't worth it, and continued running, vanishing from sight. The assassin looked down to his pouch, seeing that it almost came off. The woman attempted to rob him, but he was most likely taught by the chase after the Fox, making sure his money was more secure.

I wasn't sure where the thieves were rushing off to so fast. Or why they were moving in such a pack, out in the open. Meanwhile, Ezio paid for the small figurines, handing two to Leonardo, who sighed in content, and we continued the tour.

"And here, is the Palazzo della Seta! Normally, I'd suggest we'd take a closer look, but since Emilio Barbarigo took up power...well..." Alvise made a vague gesture towards it. The building was square, like most of the palazzos I've seen so far, outlined with a metal fence and a thin canal. It looked like a fort more than a palace, though, with the grim looking guards patrolling around it, by roof and on the ground. The merchant who we just saw getting screwed over by a few guards stomped up to the front doors. From here, we could hear his trembling, high pitched voice.

"My stall was destroyed and merchandise ruined! I demand compensation!"

I hit my forehead with my palm, and muttered quietly, "Like that ever works."

"Well, you won't find any here," a guard spat. None of the guards at the doors were impressed one bit. Seemed like I was right, and this wasn't a very rare occasion.

"This is outrageous! I will report you to the Council!"

"Much good that will do you!" Now they were getting angry. "You're under arrest for disrupting commence!"

"What?!" the businessman squeaked as they grasped his elbows. "You just made that up! There's no such law!"

"There is now!" I winced as one of the more heavily armored guards shoved him in the stomach with his spear so hard it caused him to double over. However, he still demanded compensation as they dragged him away.

"When will they learn?" I asked rhetorically. Everyone present looked at me strangely. Leo's eyes were wide with shock and he quickly turned away. "Well, what? I still can't believe there are people stupid enough to think they'll get fair treatment from people with any sort of power! It's not like anything will change because of a few complaints."

"So what do you suggest, just sitting down with your hands folded as your money is being taken away from you?" Ezio argued as we began walking again.

"You obviously don't know how the streets work, because that's exactly what you do if you want to at least keep your life. There's no fair judgment in this world, and a few words is definitely not going to change that."

He didn't reply, though he looked cross now. Leonardo looked between us, probably feeling out of place. As we finally arrived to our destination, we kept to the stony silence between us. The building was not very impressive, though big and deep red, with only a few windows.

"Here we are! We spared no expense in it's design! You will see, that it is perfect!" The tour guide spoke as if nothing just happened, with the same enthusiasm as when he met us at the docks. "Like you never left Firenze! Now, good luck, and I hope you enjoy Venezia, as much as she enjoys having you!" he bowed with his hand outstretched. I snickered quietly as Leonardo patted him on the shoulder, moving past. I wondered how long it took the man to come up with these speeches, and how many people actually tipped him.

"Well, this is it. Would you like to come inside?" Leo asked, turning to us. I glanced at Ezio, who shook his head.

"No, we should go. See if I can get an audience with Emilio."

"Well, if you ever want to visit, or you find another codex page, don't hesitate to come in!" Leo replied with a bright smile, spreading his arms with an invitation for a hug, which Ezio took. Then Leo looked at me with uncertainty, and I made the decision for him, giving him a friendly hug.

"Well, I won't blame you if you want to stick around, with your hands folded while I deal with Emilio," Ezio grumbled with irritation as Leonardo moved inside the workshop, looking around curiously. I looked at the assassin sharply.

"I didn't mean I won't be helping you. I mean that if you truly want to change something, talking is not the way. Listen, Ezio, do you really expect me to have a positive view on politics after the dump I've lived in?" I asked him skeptically.

He sighed, and his icy voice melted. "I suppose you're right, though. Especially when it comes to corrupt governments and Templar conspiracies."

"After this," I suddenly grinned widely, and looked up at the sun, which began setting an hour ago, "I'm taking you out drinking. God knows I need it. And you probably do too, considering you haven't been drunk properly for at least two months now."

"Oh, good Lord, I don't think Venice is ready for _this_," he gestured at the both of us. I laughed, and felt the strangest urge to hug him. Those damn Italians, what have they done to my beautiful mind...

"But while we're still on this job, can you please enlighten me on how you're planning to get into a heavily guarded palace?" I asked as we began walking again.

"Uh..." he rubbed the back on his neck under the hood, and I narrowed my eyes suspiciously.

"Please tell me you have a plan."

"We haven't even seen the building properly yet, and you're the one who can pick locks here," he said evasively.

"Well, I guess climbing should do the trick. And I don't think the windows are enforced here, so it would be relatively easy to shatter one," I shrugged. The palace was not very far from the workshop, and we stopped right around the corner of one of the passage. "But then you'll be going around blind, since the building is pretty large."

"If I can reach the roof top, I can climb down to the courtyard," he suggested. "From there..."

"It's back to the window shattering and door kicking. We don't know where Emilio is going to be. And there has to be at least two dozen guards in there. Then there are the patrols on the ground…"

"How about we focus on the guards out here for now?" he asked with a slight smile. Thoughtfully, I walked past the bridge leading to the palazzo. After a few moments, Ezio followed.

"There's four at each entrance and at least two squads patrolling," I reported, after running the calculation in my brain. "The chances of even making two steps inside without having a spike shoved up your ass is about five point six percent."

"How the hell-"

"Lot's of practice," I explained. "You ever try breaking into a bank, blind? See how fast you learn to count the guards and calculate chances of success. Besides, I like math."

"You broke into a _bank_?!"

"And you haven't?" I countered, though I knew it was not the same thing. He robbed a small bank that consisted of only one big office, two chests, and four distracted guards outside. I assisted a major robbery in New York, with three security guards and five cameras. "Larry wanted the job done, and I wasn't exactly in a position to argue at the time. Now, suppose we can get you through the guards," I quickly changed the subject, "Then what?

He looked around the corner again, "I can climb that wall over there fairly easily - wait, no... The ledges are too high, I'd never make that jump. We'll have to find another-" he froze, and we watched, stunned, as a familiar stampede of thieves came running. We rushed after them, stopping to watch with confusion.

"They get more and more bold," I muttered to myself as I watched the dirty thieves crash into the guards, taking their money in the process, and continuing to run. The guard stood still for a moment, as shocked as we were.

"You little shits!!!" they finally began yelling, and abandoning their posts, ran after them, waving their fists in the air. Right on cue, the moment the guards looked the other way, another thief ran past us, but instead of going after her friends, she headed for the wall, jumping up and catching the window ledge, climbing up. That's when arrows appeared from the roofs, clanking against the wall under her.

"Archers on the roof and unreachable windows. Four percent chance of success," I changed my analysis quickly as she got to the top of the climb. There was no way up - neither me not Ezio would ever be able to reach that high. But the female thief surprised us - she pushed off the frame, reaching out as she jumped, and after a few moments in the air, she got a hold of the frame, pulling herself up. "Okay, four point five percent." I said, shocked. Ezio shushed me, watching her intently.

That's when her luck ran out though, as an arrow buried itself in her thigh. There was a muffled grunt, her blood splattering against the pristine white tile of the building as her fingers slipped from the edge, and she fell to the ground. She somehow managed to get up without falling back down, and I noticed the guards that were coming back, looking very, _very_ angry. She seemed to realized that too, and tried to run the way she came from, in our direction.

"Hey, I remember you!" Ezio caught her by her arm as she almost fell in her step, while I pulled out my weapons. Seemed like we were not getting away without a fight - the guards were speedily closing in, murderous intent written all over their faces.

"I need…your help!" she gasped out.

"You never did apologize for knocking me over!"

"Ezio, is this really the time?!" I asked, somewhat irritated. She looked badly hurt, it was a wonder she was still able to walk.

"We need to _go!_" she seemed to agree with me, nearly yelling the words in desperation.

"Alright, but where?"

She glanced around, and huffed, "Water!"

"That doesn't exactly narrow it down..." My poor nerves did not hold out any longer - my hand flashed to my back, and with a loud gunshot, one of the guards advancing on us fell down with a bullet in between the eyes. Thankfully, that gave the rest of the group pause.

"Just follow me!"

"Move! Now!" I rushed them, my free hand going to one of my throwing knives, which ended another life as Ezio pulled the woman away. I retreated with them, carefully making sure no one was following.

Considering the arrow in her leg, the woman ran fast, and fought hard to get away from the guards, who seemed to know her face, waiting for any sign of her on every corner. They attacked on sight, and Ezio and I barely warded them away from her. She clutched her thigh, and let out small, cursing hisses of pain with each step, but carried on. She was certainly determined, I could give her that. Seemed like I wasn't the only one who used the threat of loss of freedom as motivation.

"Where the hell are we going?" I finally asked after five minutes, and she glanced at me, as if unsure how to respond. And then, she suddenly slowed down, gasping in pain. Letting out a string of some the dirtiest curse words I'd heard in a while, she crumpled to the ground. I caught her right before she hit the cobblestones, softening her landing slightly. "Ezio!" He turned back around, and without pause, picked her up.

"We just have to get... to the canal there..." she finally said, and we moved towards the barely visible waterway she pointed out. As she said that, another group of guards recognized her, or maybe us. But I made sure they never made it to us. Various bands of thieves appeared as well, in groups of three to five. At first, I wasn't sure what they were up to. But seeing them shout and distract the guards before engaging them in sword and hand-to-hand combat, I wasn't going to argue with them. They gave us the cover we needed to continue with little interruption.

"You never did tell me your name," Ezio suddenly said, his voice pleasant and lilting with frivolous intent, and I nearly huffed in disapproval. _I'm here too, you know._

"Rosa," the woman said shortly, still cringing in his arms from the pain. Or maybe his supposed charm, I wasn't sure.

"An honor to meet you, Rosa. I am Ezio," he smoothly replied with a smirk. I felt the urge to bash my head against the nearest wall. Was now _really_ the time for a pleasant conversation. "And this is Eden Cleare."

"I know," she surprised me. How the hell does everyone know us? We weren't even in Venice longer than two hours! What, was there a huge neon sign somewhere in the sky announcing our arrival that only everyone else but us could see?! But now wasn't the time for questions- she groaned again. If we could just find a place where there were no guards and some hot water, I could probably pull the arrow out. It couldn't be harder than pulling out bullets.

We paused by the canal, looking around for whatever it was she needed to go to. I took a wild guess that it wasn't the drunk passed out around the corner, and it probably wasn't the merchant cowering behind his stand, frightened by the commotion, like every other citizen in hearing range. That only left the young male thief, who was standing beside a gondola.

"Ugo!" Rosa called when he was in sight. He recognized her, rushing forward, though paused when he realized that he has never seen us before.

"Who are you?" he snarled, brandishing his sword at us.

"Rosa has been wounded!" Ezio said as if it explained everything, while I licked my lips nervously, looking around.

"Give her here, I'll take her the rest of the way into the boat," he said, immediately sheathing his weapon and taking her from the assassin, even as he cringed slightly at her weight.

"There are archers all along the canal!" I hurried to tell them, before they rushed to leave shore.

The thief cursed under his breath, taking Rosa to the boat. Ezio turned to me, "How many?"

"I see three on both sides, maybe a few on the roofs."

"Just go, I'll take care of them!" Ezio said reassuringly, and ran down the banks, towards the city guards.

"And what do I do?" I yelled after him, because it was obvious that I couldn't follow them. The boat was not meant for more than three people, and aside from Rosa and Ugo, there was already a bloody mess that I guessed was their "co-worker". No way in hell could I follow Ezio on the sides of the building. Climbing is one thing, jumping from ledge to ledge like a monkey on crack was different. And beyond my capabilities, at least for now.

"Go to Antonio," Ugo instructed, "Tell him we're coming."

"And where would that be?"

"To the northwest, as far as you can go! Just tell them Ugo sent you ahead."

How readily they trusted me. Or maybe they just trusted Ezio. Either way, I nodded, and took off in the opposite direction from where Ezio and the boat was heading. People finally began gathering again, and worried and irritated whispers were growing loud. Guards were still searching, but even if they knew of me, I easily blended with the crowd, making my way to northwest as fast as I could.

Damn thieves. Damn Ezio. I couldn't believe that this was only way I could help out. Delivering a message to some Antonio guy in the middle of a thieves guild while they're trying to just get away with their lives, that just wasn't my style. But there was no other choice, only to hope they could get to their safe house before an arrow came flying out of nowhere to finish off the job.

_As far as I could go... _Okay, I thought this was as far as I could go; I could hear waves on the other side of the buildings now. The houses had definitely changed - there were no bright colors here, everything looking gray and shabby. I guessed this was the poor district of the city, a perfect, if somewhat obvious place for a criminal hideout.

"Are you lost?" I crossed my arms, tensing slightly as three men appeared almost out of nowhere, surrounding me. All had knives in their hands, all looked grim. "You're trespassing."

"Put those away before you hurt somebody," I snapped impatiently. "I'm here to talk to Antonio. Ugo and Rosa sent me." The reaction to the names was immediate - they relaxed, though didn't let their weapons go, and their distrust did not evaporate. "Boys, I have eight throwing knives, and I can kill all of you before you ever realize what's going on. But you're still alive, so just tell me where Antonio is."

"Follow me," one of them said hoarsely after a short pause, waving his arm. Seemed like they wanted news more than the death of a trespasser.

As we walked, I could feel eyes on us. I was used to that, though. I'd been in rebel hide outs before, criminals in warehouses, gang bases. All of them had the feeling that you were constantly being watched. It always made you stiffen uncomfortably, and be careful with your movements and actions. My guide led me to a concealed courtyard, formed by houses that were turned towards each other, which would be very hard to find if you didn't know where the passages were. He knocked on one of the doors shortly, and soon, it opened.

"Lance?" The man inside was hunched over a sort of model of the district, turning his head up before we walked in. Antonio looked like an almost stereotypical Italian, with black hair and a mustache. He was dressed in black, middle class clothing, a gold earring in his ear lobe. The office itself was decorated richly with carpets and paintings, and book cases stretching out against the walls. He shifted his eyes at me, and furrowed his eyebrows. "Who is this?"

"She just ran in. Claims Ugo sent her," the thief huffed.

"Have they succeeded?" Antonio asked me quickly, and I crossed my arms again.

"Do you really think they would have sent someone ahead if that was the case?" I asked, and there was a silence. Then he slammed his fist onto the table.

"_Cazzo!_ Are they alive, at least?" he asked desperately, and I nodded.

"Alive and on their way, Ezio is with them. Rosa has an arrow in her leg, though."

"And has anyone else shown up?" he asked Lance, who shook his head. "Then tell me, how do you fit into this?" Antonio looked at me again. I shrugged.

"Someone has to deliver the news. I'm with Ezio."

"There were rumors of a woman traveling with him. Eden, I presume?" At my nod, he walked past me, gesturing for me to follow him out the door.

"Seems like soon my face will appear on posters too. Everyone seems to know about me," I sighed. "They should be here soon unless they ran into some trouble."

"Clear some space, Rosa has been injured!" He called to some of him men, who immediately began cleaning off a large table, throwing off everything. Two women laid a nearly clean mat onto the surface, and another brought some water, a large jar and bandages. Meanwhile. there was yelling somewhere behind the buildings, and I heard Ezio's voice call "Let me do it!" I instinctively let out a deep breath of relief.

"Do as he says!" That voice belonged to Rosa, which assured us that she did not bleed out. And judging by her swearing, she was just getting more and more angry. I'm sure the pain didn't help things either.

"Go find Antonio and Eden!" I almost felt flattered that I was mentioned. The next moment, Ugo ran into the circle of buildings, stumbling slightly when he saw the entire group already in session. He glanced at me, and I nodded in confirmation, and he came to stand by the table, ready. Soon, Ezio came into sight, Rosa in his arms. His breathing was slightly faster, his hair windblown and the hem of his robe soaked. There was a lot of blood on him, and it was impossible to tell if he was hurt or not, thought he walked confidently enough.

"Put her on the table!" Antonio ordered, and the assassin complied, gently laying her onto the sheet spread on the table. She groaned in pain bending her knee slightly so the arrow would not touch anything. I came closer, standing opposite of Ezio and Antonio.

"Get it out!" she ground out, clenching her teeth.

"Just let me see," Antonio gently said. "Clean entry through the thigh, that's good, we just need to-"

"Get. It. _Out!" _Rosa nearly screamed at him menacingly, pounding the table with emphasis on each word before she leaned back. Though she wasn't crying, she blinked back tears of pain as Antonio let out a breath, touching her face reassuringly.

"As you wish." He lifted her leg slightly, exposing the other end of the arrow. I watched the procedure carefully - it case I would ever need to repeat it. He held both points of puncture, soaking them with the balm from the jar beside him. One of the women gave Rosa a leather strap to bite on, but she stubbornly spit it out. Antonio carefully broke off the feathered part, causing her let out a small scream of pain. Then he grabbed the broken shaft at the other end, and pulled it out fast, clamping the blood spray with his hand. She screamed, clenching her teeth. "Ezio, make yourself useful! Grab a clean linen," Antonio instructed the assassin, who did as he was asked. "When I remove my hand, put it on the wound. One, two... three!" He pulled his hand away, and for a second, blood sprayed like a fountain. However, the next moment, Ezio's hand pressed the sheet into her leg, stopping the flow.

Everyone seemed to have let out a sigh of relief as Antonio wrapped a bandage around the linen tightly. "The worst is over. Get her to Bianca, so she can close the wound," he gestured to his men, and they picked up the table with Rosa on it. She seemed to have felt a bit better, because she began bellowing insults at everyone, baring her teeth and making rude gestures with her hands. Her insults made me want to clap my hands in appreciation. Colorful, and _oh so_ creative. Antonio crossed his arms, following the group with his eyes.

"Thank you for saving her," he breathed, "If I had lost Rosa..." he shook his head, and Ezio shrugged behind him.

"What can I say? I always had a thing for damsels in distress." I suddenly wanted to hit him. With a brick. But instead, I leaned onto the wall, catching my breath, unsure whether or not to just leave.

"I've heard of your work in Florence and San Gimignano," Antonio turned to us, and Ezio showed only a small hint of surprise. The Leader of Thieves continued, "And good work, too, if a little…unrefined." He glanced at me, "I'm not sure what your role was, though, if you forgive me."

"Typical," I snorted in good humor.

"Take it as a compliment," Ezio suggested, smiling slightly, and I smirked, looking up at the sky. It was getting dark.

"Obviously, I did, or there would be a lot more screaming right about now."

"In any way," Antonio cut in again, "It's a pleasure to meet you both. When you have a moment, come see me in my office. We have things to discuss." The Leader of the Thieves Guild turned on his heel, and disappeared into the said office. I came closer to Ezio.

"Do you have anything to help Rosa?" he asked, and I pursed my lips.

"Pain killers. They won't do anything, but she'll calm down a bit," I shrugged. The drugs I had were on prescription only, but I got a bottle off one of my dealers just in case I couldn't go to the hospital on an occasion. They were sold as narcotics, because people often abused the pills. But I was a little more practical than that. "She'll be fine. It'll take her maybe two months to recover completely, at the longest."

"Right."

"Do you think they can help us get into the palace?" I looked around thoughtfully, noticing that the thieves stopped watching us.

"Maybe. Or at least give us an idea."

"And are you sure we can trust them?"

"We don't have much choice. And since when are you so skeptical?" he raised an eyebrow, and I rolled my shoulders.

"I know thieves and criminals. Hell, I was and still am one. You never know just how much you can trust them. They can easily prove to be the best of friends. Or on the other hand, sell you out to the cops at first notice. And then, they could just use you for their own purposes."

"As long as Emilio dies, it won't really matter, will it?" he countered. I opened and shut my mouth in surprise.

"I hate being used," I finally said.

"Well, maybe we're meant to be used for the greater good!" he argued, and that's when I sensed something was wrong.

"That doesn't sound like you. Since when are you talking about the greater good?"

"It's the entire point of the assassin order, isn't it? To serve the greater good through sacrifice?" He began pacing and I barely turned my head to follow him as he walked back and forth. He's was strangely agitated, playing with his fingers and rolling his shoulder with pent-up energy.

"But that doesn't mean you should forget common sense. I don't see why we're even arguing right now," he paused briefly in front of me, and then sighed.

"It's been a long day."

I just realized how exhausted he looked. My own head felt like it was about to turn off by itself, too. I wanted to just get this over with now. He went to knock on Antonio's door, but before his knuckles connected with the wood, the thief called, "Come in, Ezio." He threw me a look of mild surprise, but turned the doorknob, about to walk in. I didn't move from my spot at the wall, and his surprise grew.

"The invitation was not for me, so just fill me in later. I'll go see if I can find us a place to stay."

"Alone?" he left the door for a moment, turning to me. I rolled my eyes.

"I'm a big girl. A few mean guards won't be any trouble. Relax, I thought we've been over this already."

"If you're sure. Where will I find you?"

"Follow your instincts, or your gut, or heart, or some other internal organ," I shrugged, smiling with the corner of my mouth. At his raised eyebrow, I added, "Or, just look around the market place. Either way. Oh, and yeah, and give this to Antonio." I handed over a little pill. "That's the pain killer. For Rosa."

He took it, and raised it to his eyes, examining the little tablet with furrowed eyebrow and then nodded. "Alright. See you in about an hour."

---

"Yes, this room here is free. Will you be staying for long?" The kind looking land lord asked as he showed me the door. I thought about it for a moment.

"I think so. Is that a problem?"

"No, not at all. You and your husband can stay as long as you need," he smiled, and I stared at him with shock for a moment. I didn't remember saying anything about a man. But in this era, girls probably never traveled alone.

"_Husband_ - right. Thank you," I handed over the payment, and watched him waddle away, chewing on my lip. And then I snickered. I couldn't wait to see Ezio's face when he heard of this new development. I was about to walk into the room, when I heard small footsteps and the creaking of a door behind me. I turned around and looked down, facing the little girl of about five or six years of age looking up at me with curious blue eyes. Her hair was honey blond, her skin too light for this region.

"Hi," she smiled at me, her cheeks dimpling. I blinked in surprise at her lack of shyness, but then smiled back.

"Hello."

"Are you going to live here?" she pointed at the door I was about to go through, and I nodded.

"Yes, I guess I am. For now, anyway."

"I live here with my mommy and daddy," she said proudly, "We came from France."

"France?" I knelt down to her level, keeping a friendly smile on my face. She nodded enthusiastically. "I'm from England." Close enough, anyway.

"Really?" she asked, her big eyes widening more. She took hold of the hem of her dress, and made a slightly clumsy courtesy, "My name is Adélaïde. My mommy calls me Adél." She spoke in proper sentences, something that I figured was rare with children, especially girls. Her dress was sewn with thin, even fabric, with small ruffles rimming the edge, and she wore shoes. Her parents must have been richer and more important than commoners.

"My name is Eden," I introduced myself.

"Adel? Where are you?" a female voice called, and a few seconds later, a woman showed up in the doorway. She was an older image of her daughter, with her blond hair tied in a bun on the top of her head, but her blue eyes cold, like ice. Her hand rested on her round belly. I felt an unwelcome pang of jealousy in my chest and in my lower stomach, where the scar was, but I suppressed it easily. "I'm sorry, she got away from me. You're not bothering the lady, are you?" she asked her daughter, her voice as beautiful as she was.

"This is Eden," the little girl didn't seem to mind her mother's presence at all, looking up with a smile. "She lives there now!" Jenny poked a finger in the direction of my door.

"It's a pleasure to meet you," the woman nodded politely, though I noticed her eyes trace over my clothing with distaste. I forced a smile, as well, though I did not like the woman very much.

"Hello," Adel suddenly said to someone, as I felt a familiar presence behind me. I didn't hear him come up and turned my head over my shoulder slightly.

"You finished already?"

"Yes, it didn't take as long as I thought it would." He was smiling, his hood down. "And who are these charming ladies?" Adel giggled, and her mother looked over him coolly. He stepped around me, and bowing slightly, courteously kissed the woman's hand.

"Ezio Auditore, Madonna." I discreetly rolled my eyes at his introduction.

"Aurora Nevalle. A pleasure," she seemed to like him a lot more than me, not that I could blame her. I was starting to think Ezio could charm his way into anyone's heart.

"Well, it's nice meeting you, but we have some things to take care of. We're both tired," I tried to end the conversation as politely as possible. Luckily, Aurora took the hint graciously, and put her hand on her daughter's shoulder.

"Bye bye, Eden," Adel grinned at me, and they shut the door. I took hold of Ezio's elbow, and half- dragged him into the room meant for us.

"How'd you find me?"

"Intuition. And then it was only a matter of asking the land lord. Can you please explain to me why he congratulated me when I explained who I was looking for?" He was smirking lightly, and I made an innocent expression while looking around. The room was larger than the one in Florence - I expected us to stay here for a lot longer than a few days. It was well lit, the windows reaching down to the floor, and I noted the railing beyond them, forming a sort of narrow balcony. A small fireplace for cooking, a table, a few chairs, a dresser and wardrobe, and a large, clean bed occupied the room.

"Well... he may have assumed we're married. Besides, what was I supposed to tell him? That we're assassins that just arrived into Venice to hunt down Templars, and that aside from that, our relationship is strictly platonic?" I raised and eyebrow, and a strange, flicker of emotion flashed on his face. It was gone before I could identify it, though.

"I don't like sleeping on the floor, that's all," he shrugged, looking pointedly at the one bed.

"And I can sympathize with you. So I'm willing to share," I narrowed my eyes playfully, "Now talk. What's going on?"

"Not much. The thieves need some time to recover from today, and somehow, I volunteered to help out," he explained, sitting down at the small table. I fell into the chair opposite of him. "But again, it'll take a few weeks. We'll need to make new plans, get more resources. Rosa needs to recover. And Antonio also told me that he wants us to come see him later."

"Us, as in-" I frowned thoughtfully, somewhat confused.

"He wants you there, as well," he shrugged, and folded his hands on the table.

"Not that you'd be able to stop me from getting involved," I reminded him. "I don't need special invitation, I'm not letting you run off into that palace alone, relying solely on thieves."

"You really don't trust them, do you?" he frowned, looking at me curiously. I crossed my arms.

"No, I don't. But I trust you."

His light smile returned. "Don't worry. They are against Emilio. If nothing else, at least we share the same goal."

I looked outside the window. It was dark now. "Let's just get some sleep. We both need it." There were no objections.

---

That... was the dumbest idea I have ever had.

I tried to relax, lying on my side and attempting to curl up and finally go to sleep. But my body remained as stiff as a board. The room was silent except for his slow breathing, and the light creaking of the bed every time I moved, trying to get comfortable. It was no use, I kept shivering and my muscles began to hurt slightly from the tension. It wasn't the first time I fell asleep in close proximity to him, but for some reason, I felt like I was sleeping on hot coals.

I felt him shift, and his hand laid down on my waist. I tensed even more, if possible.

"Stop moving," he muttered sleepily. Out of surprise, I did. His breathing evened out again after a moment. And after a long time, with his hand warming my side, I finally relaxed and fell asleep, too.

In the morning, I woke up to find my back pressed against his chest firmly, his arm wrapped protectively around my waist. And I found myself not minding the position too much, either.

When I realized what I was thinking, I rolled my eyes into the back of my head, and groaned very quietly.

---

**Translations**

_Magnifico_ – Magnificent

_Cazzo!_ – F**k!


	18. Chapter 17

Morning was a bit chaotic. I struggled to get out of the bear trap that was Ezio's arms without waking him up. I failed miserably, so to speak, considering he woke up as soon as I began to move. Well, actually, he just tightened his hold on me. If guards held people this tightly, I would have had a lot more trouble getting away.

I needed to figure out a way to slip away from him, before he crushed me.

_Well, never been in this situation where I actually wanted to get out..._

"Okay, Ezio, if you're awake, and doing this on purpose, I will hurt you," I muttered, attempting to push him away. My efforts seemed to be in vain, however, as I barely even stirred him. I humphed. _Fine, I didn't want to go there, but you forced my hand!_

"Eden, what _the hell?!_" his eyes shot open as pushed my knee into his stomach painfully. Or, maybe a little lower than his stomach...

"Oh, I'm sorry, did I wake you? You seemed so comfortable sleeping there, _crushing my ribcage!_" I took advantage of his loosened grip, finally getting to my feet and making a demonstrative cough. "If I have internal bleeding because of you, there will be hell to pay!"

"And if _I_ won't have any kids because of _you_..." he groaned, and my mouth twisted into a sadistic smile.

"You'll do what, exactly?"

"...I'll think of something," he gasped, worrying his lower lip as the pain finally receded.

"Don't hurt yourself. Wait, on second thought, please do!" I flung open the curtains, letting the morning light into the room. Down below, the people were already on their feet, and the merchants hurried to set up their stalls. I suppose with a friendly, understanding Templar like Emilio in charge, they wanted to try to get as much business as possible before getting shut down.

"Aren't you in a cheerful mood this morning..." he grumbled, not rushing to get up as he stretched out over the entire bed. Dark hair undone and messy, and clad in his breeches and tunic, his armor, robes, doublet and weapons were on their usual spot, on a chair near the foot of the bed. Well, except for his dagger, which he kept beneath his pillow, in easy reach. I didn't blame him; my knives were tucked beneath the mattress. And my swordbelt with my own dagger and gun was draped on the nearest post of the bed, also within easy reach.

"Considering I've woken up and thought I was being strangled, forgive me if I'm not in my best mood at the moment," I sniffed.

There was a small silence, in which I was cooling down, and Ezio was watching me with his eyes half closed. Then he finally spoke. "Okay, _desolato_. It won't happen again."

"It better not, or it's to the floor with you! Or, even better, out the window!" I sat back down beside him, and sighed. "Do we have to go anywhere?" I whined, showing clearly that I didn't want to go anywhere.

He nodded gravely, "Oh, nothing big, mind you. Only a city to save, a Templar to kill."

"How could I forget?" I sighed. After a thoughtful moment, I lay down beside him again, closing my eyes. I really didn't want to go anywhere, or do anything, or really even kill anyone, at least at the moment. And even though I hurried to squash the thought, as soon as I was free, I began to miss Ezio's arms, warmth and scent.

---

Around noon, we finally made our way back to the Thieves Guild. Along the way, I noticed something strange going on around the city. It was like overnight, criminal activity had risen to new heights. Thieves were now around nearly every corner, merchants were constantly angry, and people were looking around cautiously, furtive, twitchy, and scared.

"You said they were resupplying?" I asked, watching, bewildered, as a man ran up to the smith shop, swiped a dagger, and made a run for it. The smith yelled after him feebly, but didn't even try to call for the guards. He looked surprisingly tired, considering the early hour.

"A little careless," Ezio said vaguely, seeming just as stunned.

"A little? It's very careless, overly bold, and the same as shouting out to the entire city that we are planning something. You need to talk to-" I suddenly spun around, catching a hand that was a little too close to my bag and money. The male thief yelped in shock, attempting to jerk away, but I held tight.

"Nice," Ezio complimented, and I smiled. Feeling a greedy little hand crawl towards your pockets is something everyone should learn.

"Let me guess, Antonio only has newbies on the job now?" I raised an eyebrow. The man was actually a teenager, covered in soot. Don't they wash? There are canals everywhere, it can't be that hard. The boy stared at me with scared, doe eyes, "Don't do that again," I firmly said, and let him go. He scurried away in a rush, barely believing his luck. I followed him with my eyes thoughtfully.

"The older, trained and experienced ones are either captured, dead, or healing," Ezio explained. "The operation was pretty big, and the city guards, as well as Emilio's men are still trying to catch them."

"This is not going to work then. Does Antonio know they're doing this?"

"Suspects, most likely. He knows his men, and how careless people can be," he shrugged, and we continued walking. Occasionally, someone near us would scream, and start chasing after thieves, calling for the guards. The guards, however, having spent all night and morning going from one shop to the other, were tired and mad, like old rabid dogs, growling at anyone near them.

"Well, at least they accomplished tiring out the men. Though I'm afraid that if this goes on any longer, their base will be nothing but a whole bunch of ashes."

"And how would the guards know where it is?" Ezio raised an eyebrow.

"Don't be naive, at least a quarter of the men are being paid off to look the other way, and a half suspects where the thieves live, but aren't brave enough to go in, especially by themselves. But everyone has their limits," I concluded as one of the said guards snatched the collar of a passing man, yelling into his face. The poor citizen looked like he was about to wet his pants from fear. A heavy woman, most likely his wife, joined in the yelling, screeching at the guard to leave the man alone. Only after a few tense minutes did the guard comply. Though not without snarling a threat as he tossed the man away, his hand on the pommel of his sword in warning.

"Alright, oh mighty crime lord - or, lady, what would you do differently in this situation?" Ezio asked with a skeptical smirk.

"I'm not a crime boss, I'm just a criminal. And it would be better with quiet raids that look like normal, everyday robberies. Right now, staying out of sight is best for them, considering the chaos going on. Emilio's probably completely barricaded himself now. Until all this dies down, there won't be an opening, even if we did manage to get in," I continued, still thinking hard.

"And if we free the captured thieves, and help them get their supplies, while the injured heal?" he asked with a small smile, and I bared my teeth in a smirk.

"If we can do that fast enough, it won't matter how many locks are on the front doors, or how many guards formed a protective circle around Emilio. If the criminal gangs here are the same as they are in the twenty first century, then we can probably even manage to do this without anyone even noticing. But..." I trailed off, and he picked up my train of thought.

"But the question is, can we do it fast enough?"

"Do we have a time limit to this?"

"Technically, no. But the faster we kill Emilio, the better. There's no telling what role he plays in the conspiracy, and besides, the people here can't be pushed much farther," he said seriously just as we reached the circle of the dark houses.

"Well, you have fun. I'm going to go see if I can help Bianca with anything."

"You seem to avoid talking to Antonio. You aren't intimidated by him, are you?" he raised an eyebrow, and I put on my "I'm-not-amused-but-thanks-for-playing" face.

"I'm not scared of him. I've faced a lot worse, believe me. So you talk to him, and tell me if there's anything for me to do. I'll go help out the wounded in the meantime."

"Eden," he stopped me, catching my hand before I left, "What's going on?" I looked at him, biting my lip.

"He just reminds me or Larry a lot. You know, leader of a criminal gang, dark hair, a freaking mustache..." I shuddered at the memory. I knew that Antonio was far from my former boss, but I still couldn't help clenching my fists any time I saw him. "I'm sorry, I don't want to go down that memory lane again, so Ezio, please let me go." He dropped my hand, but not before offering a reassuring smile. I rolled eyes, and walked away towards the building where Bianca lived.

Bianca was a pleasant lady I'd met the night before, right before I went to search for a place to stay. She was a middle aged woman, her black hair graying slightly in the the tight knot on her head. She wore an actually clean apron and dress, her hands usually resting on her hips, and she reminded me of one of those women that were stern grandmothers to everyone. She came outside for a moment, yelling at one of the thieves to get some more water. When she noticed me, she ran her eyes up and down critically, stopping on the bloodstains briefly. Then she grumbled something under her breath, asking me if I came along with the "pretty boy." I assumed she didn't mean the stray dog that was relieving itself beside the well, and nodded, politely asking if I could help with anything. She just rolled her shoulders, saying the house was packed as it was, and to come back when there was breathing room.

I walked into the open doors, looking around. She was right - the place was stuffed, with all the furniture either shoved out of the way, or made as a makeshift bed for all the wounded. A couple of young boys were rushing back and forth with bowls of water and food. Unsure what to do, I walked inside, looking around for the woman herself.

I didn't have to search long, as she rushed into the main room a few moments later.

"-and don't forget, change the bandage in a few hours! Oh, thank God!" she noticed me, and pushed some stuff that she was carrying into my arms. A few jars, a lot of bandages, strings, and things that I didn't even know the names off. I hurried to catch a small bottle as it lost its balance, returning it to the pile I was holding. "Be a darling and help around here for a few minutes, while I go check on Rosa. I swear, my ears will start bleeding soon..."

"O-okay," I agreed, and she rushed off out of the room again. "Oh, good lord, there's too many people-" she continued mumbling, as she rushed away. Things were very frenzied around here, with "patients" moaning in pain. There was another girl in the room, in a clean dress that made her look like an outsider here, hurrying back and forth between men. She blushed wildly at each of the appreciative comments the thieves made to her, but didn't reply to any of them.

Well, as Bianca asked so nicely, I decided to start working.

---

As Ezio came into his office, Antonio looked up with a greeting smile. He looked concerned and distracted, though. "I hoped you would come by. I need some advice."

"What troubles you?" Ezio asked, coming in front of the desk.

His face was grave. "I'm afraid Emilio has turned some of my own men against me."

"Bribery and black mail, is it?" the young assassin inquired, knowing the ways of Templars and politics.

"Yes. We can't continue the operation while they are still in the district, reporting to Emilio."

"Not for long. I'll take care of it." Ezio seemed more than eager to get to work. There was a special place for traitors in his mind, and it was not pretty. Antonio sighed with relief.

"_Grazie_," Antonio sighed in thanks.

"By the way, your men in the district are being a little too obvious. The city guard are not that blind as to not notice."

"Yes, I was afraid of that." He sat behind his desk again, folding his arms on the table. "Most of them are young, and want to help out in whatever ways they can," he tapped his thin fingers on the wood of the desk. "I need to get a few of them occupied. I'll plan a few robberies for them. When you are finished with the traitors, could you help them out?"

Ezio shifted his eyebrows together. "Eden can help. It would be more efficient, and she was part of a similar... guild, not long ago. She has a lot more experience than me in these matters."

"Eden?" Antonio seemed to consider it. "I suppose we are short on hands. Would she agree?"

"She has no trouble breaking the law, if that's what you're asking."

"I meant would she agree to work with someone she doesn't trust?" The thief corrected himself.

Ezio looked at him, surprised. "How did you know-"

"That she doesn't trust us? It takes one thief to know another," he grimly laughed. "And besides, she didn't seem too thrilled about this yesterday." By Antonio's expression, it was obvious he wasn't all that happy with her, either. She summoned that reaction in a lot of people with her boldness and sharp tongue.

"I'll talk to her. She wants to help, so I'm sure she won't decline the job."

"Very well, then. Wait, Ezio," Antonio suddenly stopped him as the he turned to leave. "One more question, but please don't take it the wrong way; how much do you trust her?"

Ezio thought about it, honestly considering the question. Trusting Eden was something that came easily once he'd moved past the beginning issues. She was loyal and resourceful, and a great friend. She saved his neck about as much as he saved hers. There was never even a thought of her betraying him. "Completely," he steadily replied.

"Then can I trust that she can get the younger members of the guild back unharmed?"

"Oh, that's doable. As long as they don't get too cocky on her, of course."

"I meant from guards," Antonio said, slightly confused, but Ezio was already out of the door. Once outside, he stopped to think for a second, and then decided to go find Eden before he's go hunting for the traitors.

He found her exactly where she said she'd be - at Bianca's house. She was currently in a conversation with one of the thieves while she examined his leg, a cheerful smile on her face. The man looked a few years younger than her, though he was probably older than Ezio. With black hair, almost impossibly dark, slightly slanted eyes and dusky, bronzed skin darker than the natives of Italia, he most likely came from a more southern part of the world. Possibly the Barbary Coast, or even the lands of the Turks, to the southeast. Then again, Venice was a port city and center of the continent's trade. All sorts of people passed through her streets.

"-it's not even sprained, you'll be fine," she laughed easily, packing up.

"Thanks to you,_ tesorina_. You have such lovely, skillful hands..." Biting back a growl, Ezio narrowed his eyes slightly with alarm. But Eden dismissed her patient.

"My hands are good for more than healing, and I don't mean that in a good way." Considering that she was still smiling, it was a joke. The thief laughed, and then glanced over her shoulder at Ezio approaching.

"You ready to go?" the assassin asked, putting his hand on the small of her back in a somewhat territorial gesture. She turned around to him without surprise, still grinning.

"Yes, I'm just about done. Well, I'll see you later, Luca. Just try not to fall off building when you climb, and you'll be fine."

"I look forward to seeing you again, _bella,_" Luca agreed, lying back down and flashing a charming, but genuine smile. "Do not stay away too long, eh?" Ezio arched a mildly horrified brow as Eden returned Luca's smile with a grin. Before Ezio knew what he was even doing, he all but dragged her from Luca's bedside, speedily guiding her to the door. But she didn't seem to notice, her smile still playing along her lips.

"So? What's on our agenda today?" she asked as they walked out of the building. Her mood was a lot better than before, her usual light smile brighter and in place. "It seems like I have no life at the moment. No dates, no friends, and there probably isn't a good club around, either," she looked over him with an evaluating gaze, "And you'll probably ditch me today, as well."

"Well, not so much as ditch, as go do my _job_," he sniffed. His hand was still at the small of back and he'd all but hauled her up next him so they walked flush against each other.

"Same difference. What's the job?" she asked curiously, though he understood she meant "who was the job."

"Traitors."

"Oh, my. How intense. And why is it that you get assignments like that, and I'm left to wander the streets and poke slugs with sticks?"

"What?"

"Okay, just wander the streets," she rolled her eyes just as they entered the middle class part of the districts, around the place where Leonardo lived.

"Actually, if you want, Antonio is planning a few robberies, you can join his thieves." Ezio said vaguely, and she seemed to consider it.

Then she asked, slowly, "Can I kill people on this job, or is it one of those where no one has to know I was there? Cause those are a pain."

"If you must. Not the thieves," he hurried to add.

"Yeah, but that's probably not until later. What do I do until then?" she asked, pouting. It was still a long time before nightfall.

"Poke slugs with sticks?" he offered, voice more relaxed. Dropping his hand from her back, he still walked in step with her. She snorted in reply.

"He-e-ey... wait a moment. I have another question. Do we have any spies on our side?" she asked suddenly. He thought about it. Then shrugged.

"Like hell I know. The palazzo is locked down tight, the only way in is to get captured, though then you'll be in a cell, and not likely to be of any use."

"And do you have the faintest idea of what's inside?"

"The large courtyard in the middle, with access to all of the rooms. Aside from that, no."

"And you were going to storm the place, almost completely blind?" she raised an eyebrow, "That's suicidal."

"Well, we're the experts in suicidal missions, aren't we?"

Another smile graced her features, but she looked a little worried. "Still, I think it would be useful to know everything before trying to find him in there. I'd really prefer if none of us die, though I can name one very cocky assassin just asking for it."

"What do you suggest then?" he asked, ignoring the hint.

"I'm not suggesting anything. Not yet." He glanced at her, surprised. She seemed to be thinking hard about something.

Following her tracks of thought, he said, "You're not going to try to get in there, are you?"

"You said it yourself, the only way in for a solo person is to get arrested. And I don't like jail, it's small and restricting. But, say, I find a way in..."

"You don't have to-"

"But I might just do that. Anyway, think about it. Emilio is paranoid. He's most likely surrounded with guards from all sides. It's nearly impossible to get to him unless you actually know where you're going and how many guards you have to get past," she said thoughtfully.

"But you don't have a way in yet. So how about we focus on helping out the guild for now?" he asked hopefully, attempting to get her mind off of that. He did not want Eden to go inside the Templar's nest completely alone, running a high chance of being recognized, and executed. Or worse, tortured for information and used as bait.

"Fine. I'm just tired of feeling useless." She crossed her arms, pretending to be very interested in the sign above the smith's shop.

"You're not useless. You helped me more than you know," he reassured her gently, and she gave an involuntarily grin, lighting up again.

Ezio stopped at the mouth of an alley way, from which there came no sounds but the water rushing in the canal on the other side. He felt a tug of intuition.

---

"I have to go."

I nodded, sighing. I had half the day to face, alone, and bored. "I'll meet you at the apartment tomorrow morning?"

"Yes. And please don't get into any trouble. I don't really want to be running all over town, trying to save you," he smiled. But there was a concerned wrinkle between his eyebrows. I laughed soothingly.

"Ha! We'll see who'll need saving!" After a short pause, I rolled my eyes, and said, "Be careful."

"Always, _mia cara_."

And with that, he was gone. He was getting really good at that, disappearing into a shadow when I blinked. I shook my head with a light grin.

"Show off."

I heard him chuckle somewhere inside the alley.

---

"Leonardo?" I called, walking through the doors. The inside of the workshop looked amazingly similar to the one in Florence, just as cluttered, and with parts and papers lying around on nearly every surface. The artist was here for barely a week, and he already managed to give the place his essence. I came further into the room, looking around for Leonardo himself.

"Eden! What a lovely surprise!" he came as if out of nowhere, emerging from one of the shelves suddenly, and I jumped slightly. "To what do I owe the honor?"

"I'm bored," I said bluntly, grinning. "Ezio just ditched me, and I thought, 'Hey! Lets go see how Leonardo is doing!'"

"Well, come in, make yourself at home!" he waved his arm in invitation, and I glanced around. There were no free chairs, but there was a large empty spot on the table, so I took a seat there. He was as hyper and busy as always.

"How's Venice treating you?" I asked looking over the sketches that lay beside me with curiosity. They were skeletons of birds and close ups of feathers, with notes written all over the paper. I noted that they were written in mirrored code, something, I admit, I didn't believe Leonardo actually did until I first began to look through his works.

"Oh, I didn't really feel much different, as I haven't left the workshop yet. Can I get you something?"

"A little early to be drinking, so no thanks. And I just had breakfast," I politely declined, and he nodded, anxious to get back to whatever it was he was doing. "What are you working on?"

"Oh, well, the machine. I suddenly realized a few details I missed before..." he said, turned back around to the flying machine that lay behind him. The wings were taken apart temporarily.

"Do you want any help?"

"Oh, thank you! If you could just keep this raised while I work..." he nodded enthusiastically, and I smiled again, hopping off the table, and came closer to the machine. After a little bit of effort, I managed to tilt it so that Leonardo could work on it freely.

"This is actually pretty heavy, how do you think it can fly?" I inquired with interest.

"Flight isn't about weight! It's about the balance, and the sweep of the wings!" he explained, eager to share. "Bird wings are about twice the size of the body, and the feathers very close together. So the air picks them up, and-"

It was absolutely fascinating to listen how Leonardo described his theories, his excitement contagious. I didn't even notice that it began to get dark outside, so involved in his lecture that I completely forgot the passage of time. What snapped me out of it, however, was another presence in the workshop, Leonardo almost finished with his work.

I put the masterpiece down gently, and brought my finger to my lips, making Leonardo stop in the middle of his sentence and look around with surprise. I examined the room, not moving from my spot yet. There was an unfamiliar draft in the air. After straining my years, aside from Leo's breathing, I could hear rare, quiet footsteps, and short breaths coming from behind the crates by an open window. With a flick, one of my knives was in my hand, and I made a careful step towards the trespasser.

It happened fast. I reached out, blindly grabbing someone's collar, and yanking them down onto the floor in a smooth movement before putting my blade to his throat.

"Luca, what the hell?!" I asked, after letting out a breath of relief. The thief looked up at me with wide eyes. He clearly did not expect me to do something like that. I didn't step away from him yet, though. Ezio said there were traitors amongst the thieves, so you never knew.

"Well, I was going to come get you for the job Antonio gave us, but I'd rather fill you in when you aren't holding a dagger to my throat," he finally gave out, with a fleeting, though cautious grin. I rolled my eyes, helping him get up. The blade went back into its hidden sheath. For now, anyway.

"And you couldn't use the boring old method of knocking on the door?" I looked back to Leonardo, who was staring at the thief with huge eyes.

"Okay, so I wanted to scare you. I didn't know you'd hear me." Luca grumbled, eying me with some suspicion.

"Right. Leonardo, meet Luca. An...associate of mine." I introduced him, just as the artist snapped out of his slight daze.

"Interesting friends you have," he shifted his eyebrows together, looking over Luca, and then back to me.

"If Ezio is any indication, yes, I have very interesting friends. But it seems like I'll have to go." I smiled at him, coming closer to say goodbye. "It's been fun, Leo, I'll visit again soon. You seem to be in need of company and social contact in general, you can't hole up like this."

"I look forward to it," he nodded, with an amused expression. "Thanks for your help, Eden."

I dragged Luca out the "old boring way", via the front door. It was twilight outside, the early stars already shining above Venice, the moon barely visible. People began to finish up their business on the streets, sealing the last deals for today, and saying goodbye to neighbors. But while adults went home, younger people rushed out, some walking in pairs, others heading off somewhere in groups, or alone.

"Alright, which sad excuse for a warehouse are we breaking in?" I asked once we were inside one of the alleys, away from curious eyes.

"Just follow me. And keep up!" he called, running into the depths of the backstreets. I cursed under my breath, but followed. Without my bag slowing me down, for once (I left it at home), I easily kept pace, though the darkness made it hard to see who I was following, or what was in my way. Dodging the people still out and about was hard in the poorly lit streets.

After a few minutes, three knocked over drunks, two smashed crates, and one angry guard, we finally made it somewhere by the grand canal. I put one hand on the wall, leaning on it, and caught my breath. Luca was panting heavily by now, so we had to stop for a few moments until he could breath properly again, and finished the rest of the way walking.

"How did you find me, anyway?" I asked, though the answer was somewhat obvious. He snorted.

"Don't underestimate the thieves of Venice. We have eyes and ears everywhere."

"Ew," I almost started laughing, having imagined eyeballs and ears nailed to the walls, scaring the passing civilians. Luca glanced at me with confusion. "I'll have to remember that..."

"Finally!" two young boys, probably brothers, greeted us in a concealed courtyard. Within it was a fairly large house without any decorations, which I assumed was the target. Slim and lithe, no doubt from scrambling over roofs and evading guards, they both looked fifteen or sixteen years old. Thankfully, they also appeared enthusiastic, and eager to get to work.

When they got a good look at me, one of them asked with bewildered look, "Who the hell-" But the other one elbowed him in the ribs before he finished that sentence, giving me a slightly more respectful bow in greeting. I had absolutely no idea what that was about, but I was not about to ask.

"Can someone explain to me exactly what we're stealing?" I asked instead, curious. It was Luca who answered, being the older out of the boys.

"Medicine. _Signora _Bianca has run out fast with all the injured, and she needs more. And some more expensive things in there we're instructed to grab if we can. Antonio has given most of us jobs in different parts of the city, so it shouldn't take long to restock our supplies."

"Hm." I looked over the building. It wasn't very well protected, a few sleepy guards at the entrances, and fragile looking doors and windows.

"So, my plan is this," one of the brothers began to explain with a tone of superiority. Quite a bit taller than me, his pale skin and freckled cheeks flushed as he sped through his plan. Every so often, he would tuck a curl of his shaggy blonde hair behind his ear, a nervous tick apparently. I crossed my arms, leaning onto the wall and listening. I regretted it immediately - there's no telling what was on it... "While Kilo distracts the guards, we will pickpocket the key and open the door while Luca will go get a cart. Then, once we're inside, we sneak around the guards in the main room, and-"

"Or," I interrupted, and he glared at me, having to stop mid sentence. "We go around the building, break a window, and steal everything worth stealing."

"The guards will hear the glass break," he argued, and I snorted.

"Are you kidding? They're half asleep as it is, and besides, it doesn't have to be loud. And it's a lot less risky."

"No, we will do this-"

"And I'd let you, but I doubt Antonio would be very happy with me if I brought you back in less than perfect condition. Luca, what do you think?" I raised my hand to stop the kid's retort, and he bit his lip with irritation. His friend, Kilo, looked amused at my reply, staring at me with a healthy bit of respect and a smirk. I decided I liked him a whole lot more than his mouthy friend. Dark eyes darting between me and his friend, he rocked back on his heels before directing his attention back to me. Though nowhere as bronzed as Luca, his olive complexion and round, but boyishly handsome face showed evidence of spending much time in the sun. Probably as a result of running over the roofs as well.

Luca raised an eyebrow, and shrugged. "I like Eden's plan. It's a lot simpler, and easier to remember. And besides, there's a cart around back already, so I won't have to drag it out anywhere."

"And Kilo?" I asked the thief with manners, who looked at me, and nodded in agreement, smirk widening into a grin. "Outvoted. Sorry kid."

"Marcus."

"What?"

"My name is Marcus," he gritted out, seething slightly and green eyes flashing with retort.

"I really couldn't care less. And I think I'll just call you Bob, it fits you more." I carefully hid my wide grin as I saw his face go red, even through the darkness. Kilo and Luca attempted to contain their laughter, so they wouldn't tip off the guards.

"You- you-"

"'You' what?" I asked innocently, "Sorry, Bob, I don't understand what you're saying. Now, calm down. There will be time to rip off my head later."

"You're lucky you're a woman! Otherwise I'd teach you a lesson!" he raised his voice, and I nearly broke out in loud laughter. He seemed taken aback by my amusement and lack of fear. Especially as Kilo rolled his eyes, shrugging his shoulders as though to say "Hey, he's always like this, don't mind him." I patted Marcus on the shoulder patronizingly as I passed by, heading off to circle around the building.

"And you're lucky I'm calling you Bob, and not something a little worse. Like Fluffy, for example. Now come on, let's get this over with. It's cold." Luca and Kilo were still quietly laughing to themselves as they followed me.

Behind the building, I examined the wall. The lowest window was out of my reach, and there were no suitable platforms around. It's almost like they didn't _want_ us to break into the warehouse... "Anyone want to give me a lift, or do I have to climb?" I looked around. After a moment, Kilo sighed, and stepped up, folding his hands together in midair. I smiled in thanks, and lightly jumping off of them, catching the wide ledge of the window, and pulling myself up to sit in front of it. I looked inside, but there was no one in the room. Staring over the frame, I quickly accessed the situation. The glass could break easily, but it would make a lot of noise, like Bo- Marcus said. So instead of dead on shattering it, I used a large dagger as a lever. After a few minutes of work and at least a dozen splinters in my hands and arms, I passed the entire window down to the boys waiting below.

Once I had more space, I swung down, giving my arm to Kilo, who looked like the smallest person here, so I wouldn't have to exert myself too much. He helped the process by digging his feet into the cracks in the wall, and soon, he was inside the building, as well. I leaned out again.

"Get the cart, and we'll pass you the stuff," I whispered, and Luca nodded, and Marcus pretended he couldn't hear anything, waiting the time he thought was enough to save his dignity, before following the thief.

The room was big, about two stories high, and no smaller than an average house in the twenty first century, though it couldn't compare with the massive warehouses we had back home. Labeled crates and boxes were stacked high here, with a book of records lying on the small table. On the other side of the door, I could hear guards laughing over something, and the slapping of cards. The box labels were pretty much the same - bandages, medicine, and tools for more extensive care, like stitches, braces and crutches. There were also scalpels of different sizes.

I heard the cart's barely audible creaking, and me and Kilo set off to work, passing down the boxes. I also snatched a small marble statue off its stand. Every few minutes, I'd freeze, listening to the guards, but they seemed to have no idea what was going on in the storage room. They were also most likely drunk, so that might have had something to do with it.

When the cart was full, we finally climbed back out, and I even put the window back in, just so they wouldn't put bars on them in the future. It would probably fall out at the slightest touch, but that was not our problem anymore.

"How are we getting past the guards around front?" Luca asked just as they were ready to pull the cart towards the destination. I, being a woman and all, took advantage of the fact to get out of it.

"Leave the guards to me. Apparently I'm a wanted criminal now, too, and no doubt they'll want to collect the bounty," I pulled my sleeve up higher, to reveal my tattoo more clearly. "As soon as they're off, go for it."

"Are you sure?" Luca asked, concerned, and I smiled reassuringly.

"Don't worry, I'll just let them chase me for a bit, and then get away. Just get these straight to Antonio. And tell him I'll come around in the morning."

---

I hissed in pain as I dabbed the wet cloth onto the long gash on my shoulder. The candle flickered in protest, and for lack of anything better, I glared at it.

I did as planned, lingering around the guards, looking as suspicious as I could until they realized where they'd seen me before, and let them chase me. But it was a lot harder to lose them than I thought, and I ended up having to fight both. They nipped at me a few times until I finally managed to kill one and knock out the other. And then I was left to drag my tired, wounded and overexcited body into the apartment. The halls were empty, thank god. I didn't get any questions as to why I was coming back so late, or why I was covered in blood.

I pulled the ends of the bandage on my upper arm together, tying the knot tightly with my teeth. Then I leaned back onto the chair, throwing my head back and folding my hands on my stomach, looking up at the ceiling. At least the thieves were stocked up in band-aids. That, and the medicine would help them recover faster.

My head snapped around as I heard the window open, and I sighed with relief when I saw who it was.

"You're right on time, I have everything out," I gestured to the table, where I'd laid out my first aid kit. Ezio dropped into the chair beside me, letting out a groan. "Long day?"

"You can say that again," he grumbled. I smiled - I was happy to see him. But he was clutching his shoulder, and the fabric around his hand was stained in red. "It took me two hours to find out one of them was on a ship not far from the coast! With at least half a dozen of Emilio's men around him!"

"You poor thing," I laughed, standing up and taking his hand off the wound gently. He was too talkative to be in too much pain, though the cut looked fairly large. Helping me work on the buckles of his armor, it was soon removed.

"You have no idea. I was soaked while trying to get on that damned boat without anyone noticing. Have you ever tried to climb the side of a ship, not only weighted down with the usual armor and weapons, but also with dripping wet robes and waterlogged boots, completely soaked? It's no leap of faith, let me tell you that," he frowned, though his eyes sparkled with mischief as I winced and shook my head that no, I had not attempted such a thing. I noted that his hair was still a little wet, as well as the armor.

"How did this happen?" I asked as I pushed away the pauldron, unbuttoned his shirt, and opened the wound. He let out a small groan of pain as the fabric shifted, but other than that, just let me get to work.

"One of them to have a friend around, at the market. He sneaked up on me," he sighed, and then suddenly squinted at me. "Are you okay?" his eyes slid over the bandage and the cuts on me.

"Yes. Everything went fine, I even had some fun with it. I just had to play decoy so they could get away," I shrugged, and then pulled out a shard of something out of the wounds. "What the hell did you do?!"

"Oh. I think that was the vase one of them threw at me…who did you work with?"

"Oh, two kids, one a little too cocky for my liking, and Luca," I smiled slightly. "You know, tall, dark, very easy on the eyes? You've seen him at Bianca's house."

"Ah, yes, I vaguely remember - Hey, you already have someone easy on the eyes!" he pouted, and I laughed.

"Really? Where?" I made a demonstration of looking around with confusion.

"Come now, _piccola!_ My ego can't take that sort of wretched abuse!"

"Can't be that big, then... and I'm not talking just about the ego..."

"_Monella! _You are absolutely evil, you know that?" he asked with a heartbreaking smile that I couldn't help but return.

"So I've been told. By the way, you should probably see a doctor in the morning, I'm not sure if I got all the shards out, and you might need stitches." I took a step away from him, picking up the bowl with the bloody water. "So, today was eventful."

"A lot less than usual."

"That's true," I dumped the water out the window, hoping sincerely for it to rain on some guard's head. "Usually we would break into somewhere very heavily guarded, kill someone very important, and nearly die while trying to get out. So, I suppose this can be considered vocation. I broke into a lightly guarded warehouse, and you killed traitor thieves that sold their loyalty to the highest bidder."

"Well, if you look at it that way..." I sighed, crossed my arms, and leaned onto the frame of the balcony, looking out into the city. It was even more amazing at night, with all the lights contrasting with the clear, cloudless, dark sky. The stars seemed to sparkle a lot brighter here, the quarter-moon grinning in the sky like a Cheshire cat.

"A copper for your thoughts?" he asked, suddenly standing behind me. I didn't hear him get up or walk towards me.

"Are they only worth that much?" I smiled serenely. "I just can't get over how beautiful this world is."

"It's still the same world."

"No, it really isn't," I let out a wistful breath. "It's almost poetic."

We stood on the narrow balcony in silence. It was already almost morning, so everything was quiet. I wasn't used to such silence. Back home, the cars never stopped going, the guns never stopped firing, and the people never stopped shouting. Even without coming outside, you could tell that there was a woman being raped in an alley nearby, and not far off, the sirens rang, police or the ambulance. Either meant that someone would die that night. Even at home, I could never find peace from it all, the sounds haunting me every moment since I finished school. But here, there were not sounds. Just peace and quiet, no matter what was going on. I half closed my eyes, and for millionth time thanked the god I didn't believe existed.

"By the way, how do you like the idea of me teaching you the Leap of Faith?" he suddenly asked slyly, and I widened my eyes, spinning around to face him.

"I frown upon it! It's a bad, bad idea!"

"Come on, where's your sense of adventure?" he teased, ruffling my hair, and then bringing his hand to rest on my shoulder.

"You know, you're right. Jumping off a tower into a haystack, most likely breaking my neck in the process... my, why doesn't everyone do it as a favorite past time?"

"Don't be a baby. I just think that after the stuff you taught me, I want to give something back to you."

"And making me jump to my death qualifies?" I raised an eyebrow, though I was not panicking anymore. "Alright, if you insist, though I must be insane for agreeing. And also, you could teach me how the hell you jump from ledge to ridge to god knows wherever else as you do."

"You mean, freerunning? It would take a while to learn that. I've been doing it since I pretty much learned how to walk."

"It's something to do, at least. There won't always be Templars to hunt down. Besides, I'm sure it will come in very useful. Climbing is one thing, I've spent a lot of time doing that anyway, but there seems to be a lot of things I can learn."

"Well, if you're sure."

"I am. Besides, I'm already letting you push me off a tower into a haystack. I think I'm ready for anything now. Or, you know, we can just..."

"Improvise," he finished for me, and I smiled to myself, a strange, fluttering feeling in my chest and stomach. The infamous butterflies? Nah, probably just the blood loss.

---

**Translations**

_Desolato_ - Sorry

_Grazie_ – Thanks

_Tesorina_ - (My) Little treasure

_Bellai _– (My) Pretty one

_Mia Cara_ – My dear

_Piccola_ – Sweetheart

_Monella_ - Brat


	19. Chapter 18

Ezio was true to his word, teaching me his skills over the progress of the next weeks. It took a lot of my energy, as he continued to take me out for extremely long runs. At first, it was simple, easy as any other average day. Then we began the jumping. Oh, god, _the jumping_. By the end of each week, I'd just outright refused to go anywhere, to which he laughed, but let me stay in bed, lying in a fetal position. And after, the roofs came the rickety planks and boards. And then (I shuddered whenever I thought about it) came the longer jumps from which I was forced to grab the ledge of the roof and pull myself up. My second pair of gloves wore out fast.

We'd pause briefly, but often to do our jobs. I was leading more raids whenever I felt like my muscles could handle it. Ezio more often than not worked with the thieves, sometimes joining in the stealing, other times running all over the district completing tasks for Antonio and Ugo. And in the rare times where we were alone and awake, he attempted teach me to bring out Eagle Vision.

"Just relax," he whispered, his lilting voice washing over me as we sat cross legged, facing each other on the bed, "Take a deep breath...focus." I did as he asked, my eyes shut. And even if they were open, I couldn't see much, considering we were sitting in complete darkness. He insisted it would make it easier.

"If I take any more deep breaths, I'll pass out," I grumbled. "Why are you so convinced that I have this talent of yours?"

"You said your father did, and as far as I can tell, it's passed down with family members," he explained. "So that means it's there somewhere, you just didn't have anyone to help you bring it out before."

"It's not working," I complained again after a minute. It was a frustrating process.

"That's because you don't believe that it's possible," he argued in return, and I snorted, opening my eyes. The only reason I could see him was because I knew he was there, feeling his presence more than actually using my eyes.

"Is it one of those 'You need to believe in yourself' type of things? Because I definitely think that's bull crap."

"Nice choice of language, and no, it's not. It's not about believing, it's about accepting that it's possible, to banish logic from your mind and focus of your instincts."

"What poster did you copy that of?" I muttered rhetorically, but closed my eyes again. We'd been doing this for a few days, with no result. Ezio was a patient teacher, something I couldn't have guessed from my very first impression of him. I was the only one getting frustrated with the lack of results. My intuition by itself was sharp after years of relying on it heavily, but it never manifested in anything supernatural or just strange. The internal bells of alarm helped me survive so far, but I always thought of it as a given.

"Here, give me your hands," he suddenly said, and I could sense him lifting his hand and stretching it towards me. I took it without hesitation, wondering what he was up to. It was dry and warm, and very familiar. "Just focus solely on me."

"Be a bit more specific. What am I focusing on? Your limb? Your name?"

"Just the concept of me."

"That doesn't exactly help." He didn't reply, and I made an honest effort in concentrating on him. I pictured his face, his clothing... his soft half-smile that he always wore.

In the time that I knew him, he became more familiar to me than even Jake was. With Jake, there was always fear. That his loyalty to the gang will one day overrule our friendship, or worse, that he would go down the way so many others did. With Ezio, I couldn't help but be certain that he would be there, in a very strange, but comfortable way. I got so used to him, his presence, his…loyalty. I couldn't really imagine what my life was like before I knew him anymore. It all became a distant memory, and idea, a story that was not my own.

I opened my eyes. My hands were still in his, and his eyes glowed a yellow color. He was guiding me, as if attempting to conduct my genetics to come out. I felt more aware of him, even if I still couldn't see him properly. I could suddenly feel even tremor of his breathing, his heartbeat filling the air. The sensation was unlike any other I experienced in my life.

And the most creepy part was - I could _smell_ him. He had a somewhat sweet, musky scent to him on the outside. That one was the strongest. And then, the longer I concentrated, the more attuned I became until I could so much as smell his blood, a faint scent that was gone the moment I tried to focus on him, like light French perfume. It felt like a magnetic pull, and I suddenly had the urge to lean in and figure out if I was imagining it or not.

I jerked my hands out of his, shivering. "Okay, I think that's enough," I shakily said.

He blinked, and his eyes went back to normal. "Did you see it?" he asked eagerly, hoping that the hours of practice and frustration finally paid off.

I shifted to lie on my side. "Not exactly. This intuition of yours, does it affect any of the other senses, or just sight?"

"Well-" he seemed to think about it for a moment. "It's hard to explain. I guess it sort of affects all our senses. Sharpens them, let's up pick out a target, discards all other details. Why?"

"I might just be very tired, but can you smell people's blood?" I asked, shuddering slightly on the inside.

"Sure, sometimes," I think he nodded in the darkness. "Aside from the glowing, there's lots of effects, but you get used to it. It proves useful for when your eyes are tied, I suppose."

"So that's why you're not blinded by smoke bombs!" I realized suddenly, and I guessed that he gave me another nod. "And I was wondering how the hell you managed that."

"I'm just full of mysteries."

"Wipe that smirk off unless you want me to do it for you."

"See? You're already making progress."

"No, I just know you well."

He paused, and changed the subject, "How about in the morning, we'll try the Leap of Faith?"

"Hm, jump from a tower early morning? Interesting time for suicide, as usually people do it in the afternoon." I hummed, already falling asleep. He leaned down to me, and stroked my hair gently in a soothing gesture. I found myself instinctually leaning into his touch.

"Don't worry, _mia cara_. You know I wouldn't let anything happen to you."

I smiled, "That's nice. But Ezio, life lesson number two; never make promises you can't keep."

"What's lesson number one, then?"

"Don't jump off towers unless being splattered all over the street is the desired result." I snorted, and I heard him chuckle as he lay down next to me. Soon, we were both asleep.

---

The morning chill made me shiver uncontrollably. Usually, I was not this sensitive to cold, but standing on a tower does strange things to you. And now, I was wishing that I brought my old leather jacket that was a lot warmer than my thin cloak. Ezio didn't seem to mind it one bit while he let me catch my breath after the long climb up.

"Explain to me again," my teeth chattered slightly, "How you managed to talk me into this."

"It didn't take that long, _piccola_," he smiled, and I suddenly felt a little bit warmer. "Don't worry, it get easier after the first time."

"I'd like to remind you that you forced me into it twice before," I held up two fingers, and hurried to return them to the warmth of my body.

"But you've yet to do it yourself, so just watch carefully, and you'll be fine," he reassured me.

"You know..." I looked over the edge, feeling slightly dizzy again, "It's strange how little people care around here. Back at home, if someone saw you climbing a tower, they'd call the police."

"Why?"

"I hear it's not pleasant cleaning bodies off the street, so they decided that prevention is the best solution." I heard him snort.

"Well, I'll see you at the ground. Unless, of course, you're afraid..."

"Keep talking and I'll push you off myself. And believe me when I say I won't be aiming for the haystack," I threatened, though at the moment, it seemed like a grand idea. He laughed, and walked to the edge of the tower, where a hundred foot drop awaited him. He paused for a moment, spreading his arms, and seemingly reveled in the wind, something I will never understand at this temperature. And then he just jumped off.

In flight, or fall, whatever, he reminded me of an eagle. How he managed to stay so graceful in mid air, I'd never know. I followed him with my eyes, watching as he landed squarely in the cart of hay, scattering the passing people, all of them doing a double take. And a few moments later, I saw him climb out, alive and everything.

"_See you at the ground,_ he says. Ha! Ground, or lower, does it matter?" I grumbled to myself, but took a big calming breath. As long as I didn't think about the distance I'd be falling, but the flight itself, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. I didn't dare to close my eyes, though I was very tempted, considering the wind was harshly throwing itself into my face. I looked down once again to see Ezio waving from down below, and before I could give myself a chance to reconsider, I jumped.

A few heart stopping moments in mid air, and I began to fall. Without warning, I suddenly felt relief, complete freedom from everything, except gravity. The feeling was indescribable, and absolutely, utterly, _amazing_. Even the advancing ground did not stir me as it did just moments ago. Or was it minutes? Hours? Time was a lost concept in flight.

The end came too soon, though, the hay greeting me with warmth and prickling in my back. I didn't move for a few moments. I was trying to regain the breath I didn't even realize I've lost.

"Eden?"

_He-e-e-ey... __I know that voice! _I thought absently, as I sat up, and automatically began to get the hay out of my hair and clothes.

"Well, now," I heard my voice say as I slowly regained focus of my surroundings. Ezio laughed, helping me out of the cart. I suddenly smiled. "Ezio, you sure know how to show a girl a good time. Take her to a tower, freeze her to death, and then practically push her off. Very romantic."

He put his arm around me and drew me up flush against him, presumably to warm me up a bit. "Didn't figure you were the romantic type of girl."

"I'm not. Roses, candle light dinners... nah, not my thing. Seriously, I'm going to marry the first guy that would get me sunflowers or daffodils instead of roses, and a simple breakfast in bed."

"Sunflowers?" he raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged. His arm and side were very warm... "What type of flower is that?"

"I guess they don't grow here yet... well, they're very large, and they're a bright, cheerful yellow color. They turn towards the sun as it goes over the sky. My mom used to love them."

"They sound beautiful. And very fitting for you." I smiled. Suddenly, I decided that I just couldn't stay mad at him. Ever. When he gave out those adorable compliments, there was just no way they wouldn't melt even the coldest of hearts. Which my heart was at the moment, thanks to his insanity.

Days flew by. Ezio spent more and more time with Rosa, who was recovering fast, but not fast enough, according to her. Bianca wouldn't let her out of bed for at least two weeks after the injury, and even then, only for short walks. I felt an uncomfortable amount of jealousy clawing on the inside, I admit. He'd sometimes leave in the middle of practice to go hang with her, and it was no secret to anyone what they were doing.

And by "what they were doing," I mean "Teaching him how to jump as high as she could." No, really. It turned out she was an exceptionally good climber, as we'd witnessed on the thieves' attempted assault on the Seta a few weeks back. Seeing an opportunity to improve his skills, Ezio gleefully took it. That a pretty, fiesty girl was involved was a bonus, of course.

But the good thing was, so far, he came back home every night. Almost like a guilty husband afraid of his better half's rolling pin. Of course, I never grated him for it. I was not his mother to give him curfew, no matter how jealous I was. And besides, it wasn't as though I didn't have any distractions of my own...Luca proved to be great company, and an awesome drinking buddy. Even though his flirting was a lot more obvious and heavy than even Ezio's, it was fun, lighthearted, and most importantly, genuine.

Actually, not quite so different from Ezio's, once I really thought about it.

Hmm…

---

It was a week later, and I woke up alone for once, some remaining warmth in the sheets beside me and Ezio's scent still in the air. I sighed sleepily, and strained my ears. There were no movements in the apartment, not even the simple shifting of clothing or breathing. Everything was quiet. I lifted myself up onto my elbow, rubbing the sleep out of my eyes, and looked around me. I smiled suddenly, a strange feeling of giddiness coming over me. There was breakfast on the table, and beside it, a note.

I made my body move, and it obeyed, if somewhat reluctantly. I ignored the itching of old wounds and bruises from our training runs over the rooftops as I stretched. I was slowly getting used to waking up in Venice...

I sat down at the table and unfolded the note.

_"Lorenzo gave me a contract, it will take a few hours. Please don't leave the house for now, the guards might still be looking for you. - Ezio."_

I furrowed my eyebrows, my mood slightly dampened. Geez, I'd been doing this for years, and so far, I only got caught once. I suddenly felt a rebellious urge to storm through the streets and tease a few guards on my way, but I resisted, knowing he was right. The raid two days previous was pretty big, and there were a lot of guards that saw my face.

"Bad news?" I snapped around suddenly, and Adel recoiled slightly, her honey curls spilling from her shoulders. "I just wanted to say hello..."

"Sorry, I didn't hear you come in," I smiled gently. Her face brightened, and she skipped closer to me.

"You looked angry. My daddy becomes angry when he gets bad news," she explained her previous question, and I shook my head.

"No, not bad news. Just irritating . Does your daddy get angry often?" I asked as she helped herself to the chair beside me. Her grin faltered slightly, and I felt my insides freeze.

"Sometimes," she shrugged evasively, and I pursed my lips, but changed the subject.

"Now, how did you get in here?"

"The door, of course," she giggled, and smiled coyly. I shifted my eyebrows together, because I was fairly sure the door was locked, considering Ezio thought doors were beneath him, and always left and entered through the window. "You are never home."

"Yes, well, I'm out saving innocents and defeating bad guys," I laughed, and her eyes widened with surprise.

"Really?"

"Yep! I have battle wounds to prove it, too!" I pointed at the bandages, and she looked at me with sudden admiration. Well, at least she didn't recoil with the disgust of a proper mannered lady. There was hope for the noble child yet.

"Wow," she breathed out, going as far as poking the white bandage, and I winced. "Mommy said you just fell a lot. I didn't believe her, though." she declared proudly, and I chuckled.

"I'm not that clumsy. But don't tell your mom that, okay?"

"Okay! Can you take me with you?" her eyes sparkled, and I laughed at her excitement.

"I would, but I can't really keep saving you from every dog or a kid with a stick."

"Ha!" she stuck her nose in the air, "I don't need protecting! I'll save you!"

"You're a little small," I said gently. "So how about you ask me again when you're older?"

"Will you be here when I'm older?" she suddenly asked seriously, and I furrowed my eyebrows.

"Why do you think I'll leave soon?"

"You haven't even unpacked," she pointed out, and I glanced around. She was right. My bag was still tightly packed, not a stray shirt lying around the room. There was some food in the cupboard, and the bed was still messed up, but other than that, we left no mark.

"You're observant," I sighed. "To be honest, I don't know. Maybe I'll stay here with Ezio for a while longer, or maybe we'll be gone tomorrow morning. I can never tell anymore."

"That must be nice," she let out a wistful breath, "You can go wherever you like any time. My mommy and daddy won't even let me out of the house."

"That's 'cause you're a little girl," I reasoned, "They want to protect you."

"But I don't want protecting!" she exclaimed, getting fired up again, "I want to go save innocents, too! And fight bad guys!"

"You don't want money and a husband?" I asked thoughtfully, and she shook her head feverishly. "Neither do I, to tell you the truth. But believe me, sometimes there is a lot I'd give up to be in your shoes right now."

"Why? What about your mommy and daddy?" she asked, looking at me with childish curiosity. I opened my mouth, and then closed it again, unsure what to say.

"They... they aren't around," I replied vaguely, and shrugged. Her curiosity did not cease.

"But you are married. To Ezio, right?"

"Do you want to hear a secret?" I whispered, eager to get off the subject. Adel perked up her ears, and nodded enthusiastically. "We're not married."

"Are you sure?" she took me off guard, and I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"What do you mean, am I sure? I'm pretty sure I never married him."

"But he looks at you like daddy used to look at mommy," she seemed confused. I blinked. The only time she saw Ezio and me together was that first meeting in the hallway. I didn't notice him looking at me any differently than before.

"And how is that?"

"I don't know," she rolled her eyes as if to say, _"I'm just a kid, remember?"_

"You're observant, Adel. But you're wrong about this, Ezio definitely doesn't look at me in any special way," I crossed my arms. Somewhere, in the traitorous part of me, a small spark of hope appeared. But I hurried to extinguish it.

"I wish my dad still looked at mommy the way he did," she suddenly said, looking at the wall behind me, her eyes sad. "Now he just sits at his desk and writes something. And then he gets letters, and he gets angry."

My heart clenched again, as the thought came to mind again. You never knew with this era... Parents often beat their kids, even the richer ones. I shut my eyes tightly, massaging the sides of my head, keeping my temper down with both hands.

"Listen, if you ever need me, I'll be here. Well, mostly. Sometimes you'll have to wait for me to come home from saving the world," I made a feeble attempt at a joke, and it summoned a small hint of a smile on her face as she bobbed her head, the blond hair bouncing around her shoulders.

As she left, I dropped my head onto my folded arms on the table. My fists clenched by themselves. If I ever found out that that he'd laid one hand on the girl, I'd make him pay…

I finished my breakfast in peace, and then lay back across the bed again. There was very little to do if I couldn't go outside. I'm not sure how long I lay there for, just staring at the ceiling, but the strip of sunlight on my floor gradually migrated towards the window, slipping over my outstretched arm. I looked at it absently, wondering when Ezio would get back so I'd at least have something to distract me.

Suddenly, the light disappeared, and in a second, I was on my feet, one of my daggers in my hand, glaring at the window.

"Not the warmest reception," the thief shook his head, jumping down to the floor.

"There is a door, you know," I crossed my arms, and Luca smiled.

"Oh, who uses doors anymore?"

I lifted my hand up. "What are you doing here?" I was no longer surprised by his ability to find me anywhere, at any time. Thieves here were like non-violent gangs. Contacts and friends nearly everywhere. If you asked them to find someone, they would, and faster than the FBI. For the right price, of course.

"Antonio has a message for Ezio."

"Really? And he couldn't wait until we came to him?" I raised an eyebrow, and the thief shrugged, making himself comfortable at the table where Adel and me were chatting earlier. "Well, I'll pass it along as soon as he gets back."

"There's a new job for him, but he wants to discuss it with him personally."

"Right. Is that all, or is there something else?"

"Aside from the pleasure of you company, _mia cara? _No, that about covers it," he smirked.

I sighed, sitting back down onto the bed, and crossing my legs. "I'll wait for Ezio then, and we'll go see Antonio later today. You can skulk along now, you wouldn't want him to catch you here."

"Skulk along?" he repeated, confused, and I waved my hand dismissively.

"Skulk, run, crawl, fly, I don't care," I rolled my eyes.

"As the lady wishes," he seemed genuinely sad.

"I'm not a lady, but a woman that can kick you out of the window. And considering I'm bored as hell, that's more likely than not."

"But you are right, Ezio isn't very fond of me." He, too, remembered the excessive glaring that followed any time my friend would spot Luca. I figured he was being protective, as he did with Claudia. "Would you like to come with me? I'm sure there's plenty of things to do outside these walls."

I looked out the window longingly, but remembered Ezio's warning, and shook my head. "No, I think I'll wait for Ezio."

"As you wish," he sounded somewhat put off. He headed for the door, but I stopped him.

"Go out the way you came, or it will rise suspicion."

"And a thief climbing out of a window won't?" he asked, bewildered, but obediently began to climb out the window.

I leaned out the window a few moments after he was gone, sighing. If someone looked up right now, it would look a little strange - some guy climbing out of a girl's window. Though I'm sure not as weird as two men passing each other on the wall as an assassin climbed up to the window. I couldn't help but smile.

"Ezio, there's a door," I repeated my earlier greeting, moving aside as he jumped over the small railing.

He leaned heavily beside me. He looked tired, but satisfied. He rested his forehead on his hand. "None of the other girls ever minded me coming through their windows."

"Considering they slept with you, they just have low standards." I looked out into Venice, absently watching a flock of pigeons lift up from one of the cathedrals as if a kid on a sugar high ran right through the plaza.

I drummed my fingers on the rails, still not looking at him. The sun had rolled over the mid sky. Even in winter, it was very warm on my skin, and I had to shut my eyes against it.

From here, we could see the roof of the Plazzo della Seta, the place we'd be assaulting in a few weeks. Figures were walking along the perimeter of houses around it, and a few could be seen on the roof of the palace itself from this angle. Emilio, still troubled by the failed attack, has doubled his security. The chances of Ezio getting in and finding his way inside without dying dropped a whole lot as a result. Even if the thieves could figure out how to get him inside, there was still plenty of guards in the palace. Unless, of course...

"You seem tense. Everything alright?" Damn him. How was it that he could see right through me so easily? I let out a heavy breath.

"Yes. No. Maybe? I don't know. Things are getting sort of confusing."

"Anything I can help with?" I opened my eyes and looked at him, not replying for a moment, my eyes scanning over him. He looked so sincere, that I let out an involuntary smile.

"Don't worry about it. It'll all become clear as soon as I get to a bar."

"Alcohol won't solve your problems, you know."

I snorted, pushing away from the window, and him. "Okay _dad, _I beg to differ. It lets me come up with such simple solutions I wonder how the hell I didn't see before. And if not, hey, at least I'm drunk."

"I don't think that's healthy," he followed me into the apartment, his voice reproachful.

"Oh, it's not. And the stuff here is a lot stronger than back home, too," I shrugged, strapping my swordbelt around my waist and over my shoulder, and returning my throwing knives back into their sheaths.

"Last time, you ended up nearly getting burned at the stake."

"Months later!" I argued. "Just quit worrying about me. I'm not twelve, I can look after myself."

He grasped my shoulders, spinning me to face him. I was about to twist out of his hands out of reflex, but I stayed still, and looked up to his eyes. He didn't look angry, his hazel eyes concerned.

"Just promise me you won't do anything stupid."

"When do I do anything stupid?"

"Do you want me to list it off, or-"

"No, no," I hurried to say, "I want to keep some of my dignity in tact."

"Ah, yes. Your dignity. He was a nice chap. Where's he at nowadays?"

We stared at each other for a long moment, and I sighed.

"Ezio, don't baby me."

"I'm just trying to protect you." He reached his hand up to brush some strands of hair out of my face gently, and I felt a familiar tingle in my stomach.

"Ironic. It's supposed to be the other way around," I mumbled, looking away from him, and crossing my arms.

"What?"

"I'm not used to people trying to protect me, that's all." His eyes softened even further.

"Well, get used to it. I don't like my friends getting hurt."

"How do you feel about friends that hurt you?" I slipped out of his grasp, "Come on, let's go. I'm sure you're dying to see Rosa." I realized how that sounded, and cut him off before he could open his mouth, "Not jealous! Just irritated! Oh, stop laughing!"

"You've seen her climb. If she can teach me what to do, I have a way inside the palazzo."

"And you're telling me its all strictly business?" I snorted, "Yeah, right." He chose not to reply, only giving be an evasive and cocky grin, as we took off. This time, I insisted on leaving the normal way, via the door. I had enough of climbing out of necessity without using the windows as main points of entry.

Venice did not change very much during the week. A lot of merchants were disgruntled by the loss of merchandise, considering that raids on warehouses happened nearly every night, in different parts of the district. But no one even attempted to complain to Emilio now, the guards covering up as best as they could so they wouldn't get punished for the loss. This state of affairs was temporary, though. The thieves were now completely stocked up, their funds full and nearly overflowing. Now what was left was to find the captured thieves and let them recover from the abuse they no doubt suffered.

Actually, as far as we knew, Emilio had no idea that the assassins were in Venezia now. I'm not sure exactly how that was kept quiet, but our presence here was phantom like, even after my careless actions.

Meanwhile, it was getting colder. Sometimes, very rare snow flakes would fall, not even reaching the rooftops, melting in midair. Sunshine was a bit more restricted by the clouds. A lot of people began to wear thin furs, rubbing their hands together to warm them up. It was still nowhere as cold as it would be in New York, of course, but I guessed the people just weren't used to such weather here.

As we passed the palace, I continued thinking, planning. There was a way to get inside, actually. The guards took you straight in if you so much as annoyed them. But how to get away from them once inside...

---

Ezio bid me goodbye not far from Antonio's office. Or, at least to pretend he did, considering he just left without a word, heading in the direction of a certain female thief lounging outside Bianca's house. I humphed to myself, but left them alone, and went to knock on Antonio's door. It took me nearly an entire week to get over the outer similarities between him and Larry, and finally be able to talk to him without flinching every time he so much as opened his mouth.

"Come on in," I heard his invitation, and I pushed the door open, walking inside. He was standing over the model of the district, talking to Ugo over the table. Both looked up in greeting.

"Hello children," I greeted sarcastically, "What's happening?"

"We've been going over the plans." The older man explained, nodding to the little figurines on the buildings. "As soon as we're ready, we can put the plan in motion."

"And what's the plan?"

"If Ezio can eliminate the archers around the roofs here, my men can pose as them, thus getting rid of the greatest threat. After that, the way into the Palazzo would be clear."

I thought about it, and then, I quickly came to a conclusion. "And I think I have a plan on how to keep him alive once he's inside of the palace."

---

"You're insane." Ezio stated angrily, "There's no way you can actually be thinking this."

"Let me get this straight," I said firmly, "I am doing this whether you like it or not. I won't have you running into the palace without any idea of what's inside."

"You do realize that if you get caught, you will be executed? O did you forget that you're wanted for robbery and murder?"

"My only interest right now is your survival, so how about you just say thanks? And besides, getting caught is exactly my way of getting in."

"Ezio, please listen," Antonio cut in for the first time, "She's right. If she can find a way inside, she can gather information that can help you find Emilio quickly and without drawing attention."

"At what price?!"

"Would you stop treating me like a china doll?!" Now I was getting mad. "I know the risks! I knew them when I helped you kill Uberto, save Lorenzo and eliminate the conspirators! I knew the risks when I followed you into a Templar meeting! And you know perfectly well I can pull this off!"

There was an irritated silence. Then he shook his head, and walked out of the door without another word. Immediately cooling down, I stared after him before and glanced to Antonio helplessly before following Ezio.

I caught up with him quickly, forcing him to turn around. He didn't look at me, his jaw clenched.

"Why? Why are you so eager to put yourself in danger?" he gritted out. That certainly made me hesitate before answering. Frankly, I didn't know why, really.

"Because I promised I'd keep you alive. Ezio, please, let me help. I will be fine, and anything I find out can help you get in and out safely. And because you know you won't be able to talk me out of it."

"You are so stubborn," he whispered, his voice a lot warmer now. He looked more desperate than angry now.

"Trust me, you wouldn't want it any other way," I smiled gently. "So you can either cooperate, or I'll just do it on my own. Antonio is more than happy to do whatever will help our chances." A little _too_ happy, perhaps, that it wasn't one of his men doing it.

He looked me in the eyes for a long time, before he finally sighed, and nodded. "_A bene_. What's your plan?"

"I will march up to the guards and let them take me inside."

"And how will you get away from them?"

"That took me a while to figure out, but I think I've got it. This dagger," I briefly touched the knife I bought in Florence, the emerald shining slightly in the sun. "Was made to deliver poison, kind of like the one Leonardo made for you. It would be easy getting rid of the guards. Once inside, I can pose as a servant or something, and then make it out before night time."

He seemed to think about it, biting his lip slightly, and then he finally nodded. "Alright. I'll get you some poison. But I swear to god, if you don't come back before midnight, I will-"

"You will do nothing. If I'm not there before midnight, I'm simply running late. Just don't worry, I've made it out of worse pickles before. Hm, speaking of pickles..."

---

With everyone slowly recovering, Antonio and Eden planning, it fell to Ezio to take care of other tasks. Such as freeing the thieves that were captured. Emilio made a critical mistake on showing them off to the town in cages, though, allowing the guards to starve them and beat them. If they were taken into the dungeons of the palazzo, then even God wouldn't be able to get them out.

But they still had to hurry. They couldn't last on the scraps of food that the kinder civilians and other thieves brought to them in secret.

Houses and churches raced by. Ezio almost flew above the rooftops with the speed he was going at. The invisible string he was following got thicker and more pronounced with every step. When he finally felt like he was at the spot, he slowed down to a walk, coming up to the edge of the roof, and looked down. He immediately realized that this area was off limits to public right now - if he came by the streets, the guards would not let him in, as both exits were blocked off. In the middle of the courtyard, a large cage stood. It looked like a giant pigeon coop, except instead of blue and purple birds, there were roughly dressed thieves. Some nursing their limbs, others with blood leaking from numerous wounds. But all of them held a proud silence. That seemed to piss off the two guards in front of them even more.

"What? No screams for us today?" one asked loudly, and mockingly. When there was no response, he stuck his halberd through the bars of the door, shoving one of them. The thief yelped in pain, hurrying to roll away from the weapon as guards roared with laughter. Ezio clenched his teeth, hand instinctively going to one of his throwing knives. "Listen to them squeal, they are so pathetic. Where's Emilio? I can't wait to execute the filth..."

"Emilio will give the order eventually, just have some patience," the other shrugged. "I think he's hoping that fool, Antonio will-"

Ezio pushed off the roof, extending both his blades while in mid air, and before the guards could even look up, he slammed his arms into their necks. He could see their eyes widen underneath the helmets, and they fell down to the ground. The assassin looked around cautiously, but none of the men guarding the streets even glance in his direction. The thieves greeted him with excitement- even if they couldn't recognize him as a friend, they were eager to get out of their cage. He unbolted the door, and jerked it open for them.

They did not need another invitation. As they poured out, some supported by their friends, but nonetheless, agile, they thanked him shortly, and ran for the ladder leading up to the rooftops.

He followed them with his eyes at first, and then climbed up to the top of the building himself. He still had two other cages to visit.

---

I woke up in the middle of the night, and spent a few moments trying to figure out what triggered it. Soon, I realized that it wasn't someone's presence, but the absence of thereof._ Ezio is not beside me. _I sat up with a start, leaning onto my elbows, and worriedly squinted through the dark.

The window was wide open, the moonlight making a large square on the floor, and the cold air making me shiver. Ezio was leaning onto the frame, looking outside absently, thoughtfully. He was still wearing a simple tunic and loose trousers, so I calmed down slightly. He wasn't going anywhere for now.

"I didn't mean to wake you," he whispered, but he didn't turn towards me. I hummed uncertainly.

"Couldn't sleep?"

"Just thinking."

"About?"

"Everything."

"Ah. That might take a while then," I attempted a feeble joke, which he didn't react to. He continued to stare out of the window thoughtfully.

"You know, Federico always wanted to come to Venice," he finally broke the silence. "And not just Venice. He wanted to go outside of Italy, explore. He didn't want to settle for being a banker. He was too much of a rebel. I think he would have liked this life," I heard pain in his voice as he talked about his slain brother. "You would have liked him, he liked to make fun of me as much as you do," he paused. He didn't need a response right now. I think he just wanted to talk, so I let him continue without saying anything.

"Life hasn't really turned out the way I thought it would. It seemed to have just caught up with me. I don't know, really, it just feels strange. I was supposed to be a banker, like my father. My life was laid out for me, there was no uncertainty in it. And then everything changed so quickly..." he sighed heavily, and I looked down onto the folds of the blanket. I knew what he meant. Changes like these came so fast they always sent you spinning. And it felt like you'd continue spinning, weeks, months, even years after it was over. "Suddenly, everything is different. And I don't even know if I'm going to be alive the next day, let alone if I'll ever have a normal life again."

He was quiet for a long moment. I pulled my self up so that my back was resting against the frame, and hugged my knees to my chest.

"I wasn't ready for any of this." he finally said, turning to me. He looked lost, confused and sad.

"Come here," I patted the bed beside myself. He obediently detached himself from the frame, coming to sit beside me, and then resting his head on my shoulder. "I've been there, Ezio, and I know what you went and still going through. Once my father left, things began spinning out of control. I can't imagine, though, what you must have felt like when it happened all in one night. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry about everything you had to go through."

He breathed evenly, not saying anything for a little longer. Instinctively, I reached a hand up, and gently ran it through his hair in what I hoped was a comforting gesture. After a few minutes, he asked me a strange question. "Can you tell me about your first kill?"

"Why do you want to know?" I asked, surprised.

"Curiosity, I suppose. Before I became a...killer, everyone said how hard it is to take a life. But when I had to, I felt...nothing. It was almost like instinct, with no emotions attached. What…was it like for you?"

I thought back, hesitating slightly, and then told him.

---

"I guess this is it, then," Jake muttered as we stopped in front of the old building. The tall houses and structures of Chinatown were decorated brightly with lanterns and signs, more for the benefit of tourists than actual culture. The streets were crowded, creating a claustrophobic effect of being caged. I could only see the sky if I threw my head back until my neck began to hurt. Even though I was covered in bandages and bruises, and Jake had the hardcore gangster look with his roguish scar across his temple, shaggy, slightly too long hair, and well-worn leather jacket, no one noticed us. Stranger couples walked through the "Big Apple".

I was trembling. I didn't want to go inside the doors. I wanted to just turn around and walk away back into my mother's arms. But at the same time, that only made me more determined. It was about time I stepped out of the nest, anyway, considering our loyal protector has vanished in an unknown direction. It fell to me to make sure that at least my sister would get a brighter future than starving in a gutter.

"Yes," I finally replied. He looked at me with sympathy, and reached towards me, as if to comfort me somehow, but reconsidered. One of the first things I learned, was to never show affection to the other gang members. And I didn't want to with most of them. They all looked down on me. As though I was a weak little girl that didn't have the guts to kill anyone, who survived being jumped in purely on accident.

I took a deep breath, and without looking at him anymore, I pulled the door open. As I climbed the stairs, I must have thought of a thousand different scenarios, going over everything, in an attempt to stop my racing heart, the feeling of wrongness. It would be better to kill the man quickly, without any procrastination. Larry would have his debt back, I'd be a full member, my family would be protected. I didn't know the person. He was an outcast. No one would miss his debt.

But those thoughts didn't make it any easier.

I stopped at the very top step, ignoring the doors on the previous landings, and chewed my lip.

Why did I stop? What kept me from making the last few steps to the door? Indecision? No, everything was already decided. There was no going back. Fear? Of what? I was not afraid of killing my soul if it meant I'd save my mother and sister. My hands wrapped around the gun tightly. It didn't have to be hard, like Jake said. It could be easy. One moment, and it'd be over.

The door opened, suddenly breaking me out of my daze. Tyler Beck, my target, was a fairly young man, maybe in his late twenties or early thirties. His long brown hair hadn't even start graying yet, his skin clear of wrinkles. But his eyes looked tired and wise, like those of an old man. He was smiling at me kindly, and expectantly. I was struck frozen, my mind going completely blank, and I didn't even move to raise the gun in my hand.

"Well? Are you going to come in?" he asked, making space for me to walk through. He saw the weapon in my hand, and yet there was no spark of fear in his face. He talked as if I was an old friend just dropping by. "The tea is cooling."

In shock, I obeyed him, and walked inside the house. It was a small, cluttered apartment, where everything looked old and worn out, as if the owner didn't care much for it. Tyler closed the door behind me, and continued. "I've been expecting you. And one way or another, you're here. Now, have a seat, we should talk."

"What?" I asked hoarsely. My voice still hasn't come back to me fully. It was far from the beautiful tones my mother used to boast about. That was the result of one of the assholes hitting my throat.

"I know why you're here," he said pleasantly, sitting down. I continued standing. "It's alright, I know it's necessary. I just have a few requests to make, that's all."

"Requests?" I couldn't understand what he was getting at. He nodded.

"Please sit, so we can talk like civilized people," After a moment of hesitation, I dropped into the chair he gestured towards. There was a cup of steaming tea in front of me- it was there before I arrived. "My will is on my desk, hand it to your leader and he should be more than satisfied. I'm sure he'll be happy with you," he seemed so serene talking about death, and his voice calmed me down slowly, as well. The trembling ceased. "Also, there's a more personal request. Eve, your sister, how is she doing?"

"F-fine." I mumbled. "How do you know-"

His expression turned a little more sad. "I know a lot of things, my dear. I've done many bad things in my lifetime, and this was coming for me eventually. I'm just glad I could right many of my wrongs before this moment came. And it's time to finish. This pendant," he pushed a thin gold chain with a small leaf pendant towards me, across the table, "It's for your sister. Make sure she gets it."

I took it with shaking fingers, mechanically. I was scared, and I felt like crying. I was nothing more than a teenage girl, caught up in something I did not understand. He nodded with satisfaction, and then sadness.

"Don't worry, my dear. I've seen your path, and this is only the beginning step. Don't cry," he said as a tear broke through, rolling down my cheek. The full realization of what I was about to do hit so suddenly, I could do nothing more than grip the gun tighter and stop thinking. "It's in your blood. I promise, it's not as hard as you think."

"How did you know I was coming?" I asked, almost scared of the answer.

"There's no time to explain. My line is at an end, and yours is beginning. Now, come on. Pull the trigger."

And I did. Just like that. I ended a life, and only the first of many. Yet I felt... nothing. It was a dream. Nothing more. Nothing less.

Jake waited for me outside, leaning onto the wall beside the door, with a cigarette to pass the time. He looked up at the girl that came out of the building, with a sad smile when he realized it was not the same girl that went in, terrified and guilty. Even I didn't know what that girl was at that point.

---

I shook my head as the flood of memories came over my mind. Ezio listened carefully to the story, looking at me in wonder. I was shocked, as well. That specific memory has avoided me for the past five years, as if something added a dream like haze to it. But suddenly, it became clear as if it happened only a few moments ago. We sat in silence for a little.

"The pendant was for Eve? Do you know what it was?" he finally asked with curiosity.

"I didn't really see what was so special in it, really, but Eve was almost hypnotized by it. She never took it off, and even when she was... attacked, she was still holding on to it."

"But what was it?"

"Honestly, I have no idea. I thought nothing of it back then, only that it was strange that a man that I was sent to kill was giving my family presents."

"What happened after you killed him?" he continued asking questions, as if trying to escape his own thoughts into mine. I noticed it was easier to deal with other people's issues rather than your own.

"Larry was pleased when the lawyers passed him the debt that he was owed, and I became a full pledged member of the gang. Now, thinking back, that was when I became an assassin for him. Not like you, who kills only those who kill others, but I was sent after anyone who so much as looked at Larry the wrong way." I leaned my cheek on the top of his head, sighing. "And to think that once upon a time I wanted to be a dancer. Ha ha. You alright?"

"Yes," he whispered, "Thank you."

"I didn't actually do anything," I reminded him, and I felt him chuckle.

"Eden, trust me, you help more than you'll ever know."

"Oh, stop, you'll make me blush." He started laughing quietly, and then we shared another silence. I was perfectly comfortable sitting here, and talking like this until morning, and by the feel of it, he was too.

"Hey, that pendant that your sister got..."

"Yeah?"

"Do you think it was a Piece of Eden?" That took me completely off guard. I shifted my eyebrows together.

"I never thought about it. Then again..." I paused, thinking. "What other mystic, hypnotic, strange artifacts do we know of?"

"Maybe she was the new Keeper or something. I mean, both your names tie in with the story, maybe it's some sort of sign?" this time, I started laughing. The idea was hard to wrap my head around, and it sounded a little too far fetched. Even after some crazy future teller was my very first kill.

"Well, I guess everything happens for a reason, and there are no coincidences. Maybe you're right. There's more than one Piece, and they're supposedly magical, so I guess that anything is possible."

"I have another question."

"You're so full of them today, Ezio," I joked lightly.

"How did you imagine your future?"

I chuckled, "I've been in the future, remember?"

"I mean before everything started. And now. What do you think will happen to you?"

"I..." I shifted my eyebrows together, pondering. "I never thought about it."

"Well, here's your chance. And don't tell me you didn't have fantasies of the future when you were little!" I poked his arm reproachfully.

"I don't know, really... When I was a kid, life just... was. I believed I could grow up away from all the gangs and drugs, and then go to college, make enough money to move my family to a big house on a nice street. And then I guess get married to the perfect guy and have three kids, and live happily ever after. You know, everything a five year old girl dreams of. It's not exactly rocket science to figure out."

"Hm," he replied, not bothering to asking of the "rocket science" I spoke off. I think he was utterly used to hearing my "odd" turns of phrase. "Yes, I think Claudia had similar fantasies when she was little. Still does, most likely. That a prince will sweep her off her feet. I think that's why she turned down nearly every possible suitor, she had extremely high standards."

"And it wouldn't have anything to do with the fact that she knocked a girl out cold when she stole her boyfriend?" I grinned, and he shook with laughter. "That's right, Claudia talked."

"I really don't know, but I hope she'll finally let go of this dream man of hers and find someone actually real. What do you think?"

"Me? I'm not getting married any time soon, so I'm not the best person to ask."

"And why not? I'm sure someone will come along," he shifted his head to me with a grin, and I returned it. "You can still have that future you wanted as a child, you know."

"I don't think that's possible anymore. I can't have kids, and no sane man would settle for me, and the only thing I know aside from killing and stealing are mechanics and design. And we both know that could be dangerous for me to do in this era. So!" I said it as lightly as possible, "I think you're stuck with me, Ezio."

"Well, I'll admit, of all the people to be stuck with, I'm glad it's you."

I closed my eyes, and smiled, feeling a great rush of affection for him. Oh, how things change.

"And tomorrow..." I remembered that I planned to break into the palazzo in the morning. He tensed slightly, and sighed.

"There's still time to reconsider."

"Still singing that tune?"

"I guess not. Let's not think about it just yet, though."

"Fine by me."

---

That morning, the sun rose over Venice, and the sky was clear blue again. Everything was ready for my suicidal plan. Ugo made sure that the outer guards were distracted with the thieves that Ezio freed the week before. Right before we arrived, I pushed my bag to Ezio, asking him to keep it safe for me. He agreed, finally coming to terms with my temporary absence. After all, he knew what I was capable of if I put my mind to it.

"There's medicine and weapons in there. You can use whatever you find, just in case Antonio sends you on some mission." I explained when I handed him my belongings. "Just stay away from any pills and powders in the secret compartments. Those are very, very bad, and very hard to get my hands on, which I admit, is the only reason I haven't throw them into a lake yet."

"I'll keep that in mind."

"Oh, and if I don't come back, you get full custody of Leonardo. Just don't forget to feed him three times a day and force him outside sometimes."

"Okay, enough with jokes, or I won't let you go anywhere." Even though his voice was stern, the corners of his lips twitched upwards.

"I'd like to see you try," I smiled confidently, patting his arm with reassurance. "I'll be back by midnight. Don't worry." My only real identification was my tattoo, so I'd previously carefully brushed makeup powder over it, concealing my weapons within easy reach. "If not, then don't do anything stupid," I reminded him, knowing his noble trait that made him want to save everyone.

He sighed, looking to the walls grimly and avoiding my gaze. "Alright, go."

I straightened out, composing myself. But before walking away, I reached up, stood on my tiptoes, and kissed his cheek lightly. He looked at me, bewildered at the display of affection as I smirked cockily and walked around the corner to the palace. There were a lot of things I wanted to say to him at that moment, but there would be time for everything after I got back. And we both knew that I _would_ get back.

Though I was tense as a rope on the inside, I moved with casual ease. The guards watched me approach warily, not making a move towards me, but not letting me through.

"What do you want?" one of them snarled. They seemed on edge - the attempt on the palazzo was still fresh in their minds, as well as the punishment their master likely dealt out.

"Not very friendly, are you?" I smiled in the most cocky way I could manage.

"What, did your little stall get destroyed?" another one spoke up, mocking me, and I shrugged.

"Nope. I'm not a merchant."

"The who the hell are you?!"

"I'm a fortune teller." I bit my lip against laughter, "And I foresee you two brutes letting me in."

"Oh, sure, we'll let you in! Into the dungeons! You have to learn your place, _puttana!_"

"I won't pretend that didn't hurt. I'd like to see you try taking me anywhere!"

Like taking candy from a baby. I was expecting that. Actually, hoping for it. I ignored their insults as they grasped my elbows and dragged me inside. I pretended to struggle as they laughed, and glanced over my shoulder, hoping to meet eyes with Ezio. But he was nowhere in sight by now.

The inside of the palace was as impressive as the exterior. A massive staircase spiraled around the building, the flower beds decorating it rather nicely. Though I wasn't exactly in the mood for playing a tourist, considering the guards' grips on my arms would leave bruises. They shoved me past a hoard of servants, who barely even spared me a glance. This was apparently a common occurrence these days. One elderly woman looked at me, sighing heavily, but didn't dare to speak up, carrying on with the sweeping.

I continued to try and pull my arms out of their hands, but with only half effort, playing a cocky, but weak woman. Eventually the led me down a flight of stairs, into the basement. I've never really seen a dungeon before, and I was not all that thrilled now, either. It was cold, the torches along the walls proving poor heat sources. It was also damp, and the air stiff and heavy, like Mario's wine cellar. I felt my adrenaline drain slightly as the sunlight disappeared from my view. I hated the caged feeling. There was stirring in the cells behind the doors, some desperate enough to call out for help. But other than that, just movements.

"Now, I'll give you a chance to let me go." I suddenly stopped struggling weakly, and dug my heels into the stonework for real. The guards, who didn't expect that, were jerked back slightly.

They mistook good advice for a laughable threat. "And why would we do-" The man's laughter was cut off as his eyes bugged out, and he gasped. I pulled my arms out of their weakened grips, and before the poison could kill them completely, I pushed them into the one open cell that I suppose was meant for me.

The effects of the poison were ugly, almost heart wrenching. They gasped for breath, they tried to fight off someone invisible, flinging their arms around and getting weaker and weaker, until they were just jerked around and spasmed on the floor. As though they were choking, from the inside out. I spared them the last few moments of their agony, slitting their throats. After that, I took the key off one of them, and locked the door from the outside.

Luckily for me, there were no other guards in the dungeons. No one would find their bodies until they either started to smell, or they checked the cell, which was not likely to happen any time soon. But the more important thing was that I made it inside.

---

**Translations**

_Mia cara_ – My dear

_Piccola_ – Sweetheart

_A bene_ - Okay


	20. Chapter 19

**Author's Note- **Just wanted to do a quick shout out to all those people who review dutifully, thank you so much for the inspiration :D As you might have noticed, I'm going for regular updates every week now, which is about the time that it takes me to write the chapters, reread them, and send them over to my beta.

* * *

I smoothed out the folds in the cheap stolen dress automatically, trying to at least get used to the feel of it. It was a little too long for me, but other than that, fit perfectly. I wore dresses before, when I could afford it, to night clubs and such. But obviously they were shorter than this one. A _lot_ shorter. I also tied my hair up the way that the servant girls did, twisting it into a short pony tail. And finally, all that was left was to make small rips in the fabric so I could access my weapons.

I was all set.

The palace itself was frenzied, guards and servants were everywhere, doing their jobs, and not paying any attention to each other. When I had my disguise, I did a trial run, walking across the courtyard to the stairwell, and up to the second floor. No one even spared me a look. I forced myself to keep eyes frontwards, suppressing the urge to constantly look over my shoulder.

Once I was sure I wouldn't be recognized, I finally allowed myself to relax a little, and think about the next step. First of all, I had to figure out where and how many guards were in the palace, and when the shifts changed. I had most of the day to figure everything out and get out of the palace, before Ezio would start to worry. But before that, I had to figure out the lay out of the palace, so I wouldn't tragically get lost, like I was sure so many others had.

---

Ezio sat down onto the bed, dropping Eden's bag beside him, and with a heavy sigh, dropped his head into his hands. He still couldn't believe he let her waltz into there. She was being stubborn, proud, and suicidal. All that, and she was doing it for him. She said so herself, putting her life at risk just so he could get in and out without problems. Eden either didn't think he'd be able to find his own way, or she just honestly wanted him as safe as possible. It was sort of ironic, considering he was trying to keep_ her _safe. Not because he thought she couldn't take care of herself, but out of gentlemanly instinct, friendship and debt.

And because he realized just how much he'd miss her if anything happened to her…

Shaking his head to clear his darker thoughts, he looked over to her bag, somewhat curiously. She seemed okay with him looking through it, and when he got official permission, he was suddenly eager to see what was inside. Besides, it was a distraction. Pulling it closer to him, he pulled on the little knob, opening it the way she did. The strange stitching came apart easily with a "zip" type of sound. Inside were different clothes, bundles, cases and papers. Knowing her love of secret compartments, he noted at least three.

Like she said, there were weapons. Her strange firearms, as well as different knives, as well as bandages and little bottles, all labels written in English, like the documents in the pockets. There was also a little book filled with numbers, lying in the same spot as her communication "phone" thingy. He barely understood any of the things that were in her bag, which was probably why she didn't mind him looking through it.

In the first secret compartment, there were pills, bags of powder, and herbs rolled up into thin paper that he assumed were the harmful drugs she used to sell. Following her advice, he didn't touch them, moving on. In another pocket, were more documents, and he took a wild guess to say these were her real ones, since they looked nearly identical to the ones out in the open, but with different names, dates and entries. She was very careful with her identity, it seemed.

He wondered what her life was like if she was this cautious, hiding everything real, and laying out fakes. From what she told him, everything was far from ideal. She told him she lived in a very large city, and the security was very different, and harder to avoid. They had technologies that could track her down if she made one little mistake, just for the sake of justice, even if no one missed the person she murdered. Small scale wars broke out behind the streets between gangs over territory - he unfolded a map of a city district, which had colored boundaries, all labeled, as if countries. There were red and black crosses on some buildings, too, so many that his eyes got lost in the maze of squares.

It never really felt like her story was real until now. He believed it well enough, no matter how insane it sounded, but he never really imagined it. But here was all evidence of her illegal lifestyle, even a strange, smooth picture of some man with a huge red cross over it. It looked more realistic and detailed than any painting, as if someone captured the moment on paper exactly as it was. He half expected the person to start moving.

And then, in the last pocket he looked in, there was another picture. But this one was Leonardo's work, he recognized the style and signature of his friend easily. It was that of a woman he was sure he had seen a few times around Florence, smiling serenely from the paper. He vaguely remembered them talking about it, what seemed like ages ago.

_"Why did she take it?" _He made a mental note to ask her when she got back.

He suddenly heard small footsteps, and the door cracked open. He looked up, ready to get out his weapons, but he realized it was a little girl that he had seen before, talking to Eden. Adel, he recalled.

"Hello," she greeted boldly, bouncing over to him.

"Hello. Who're you looking for?" he quickly though kindly replied, hurrying to put everything back into Eden's bag to prevent her curiosity.

"Eden. Is she home?" she looked around, as if hoping to find her cloak sticking out of the wardrobe.

"No, she's...working today," Ezio smiled at the girl as she sat down beside him, not waiting for an invitation.

"Saving innocents and fighting bad guys?" she asked excitedly, and Ezio laughed.

"Not exactly, but close enough. She'll be back tomorrow. Adel, do your parents know you're here?"

"Nope," she shook her head, "Daddy doesn't even notice me anymore, and mommy is with a doctor."

"That's right, you're getting a little sibling soon," Ezio remembered that Aurora was pretty far along in pregnancy.

"A brother," she specified, nodding enthusiastically.

"How do you know it's a boy?"

"Because daddy said so," she stated as if it was the most obvious thing. "Do you have brothers?"

"Not any – no," he swallowed hard, attempting to avoid painful questions. Then he glanced out the window. The sun was already setting.

"Are you worried?" she suddenly asked with innocent curiosity, her blue eyes widening in concern.

"Why would I be?" he furrowed his eyebrows in confusion.

"You look worried. Is Eden okay?"

"Yes, she's fine. Or...I don't know," he sighed. "She might not be okay, and I can't do anything about it."

"She's okay," she reassured him with confidence, "She told me she fights bad guys all the time!"

"She told you a lot of things," Ezio fleetingly smiled. But surprisingly enough, he felt a little better with her reassurance. She was right - Eden was too stubborn to let anyone catch her, and she'd made it out of worse situations before. Hopefully.

"Eden told me you're not married," she whispered conspiratorially. "But I don't get it."

"What don't you get?"

"Why aren't you?"

"Why aren't we - oh. Well," he was taken aback, "We're friends. And friends...well, don't get married."

"But don't you like her?"

"Yes, I guess I do."

"Do you _like _like her?"

He suddenly had a flashback to when he was ten, and Federico asking him if he liked the young noble girl that lived beside them. They ended up fighting over her, too...

"No, I don't think of her that way."

_Liar!_ a little voice in his mind that sounded suspiciously like his late brother mocked him.

"Alright," she nodded, but she looked and sounded skeptical, as if she didn't believe him. Ezio had to hand it to her, she was a very observant kid. He coughed, and looked away from her, but her attention was already caught by something else.

"Is that a sword?" her eyes lit up, and without asking permission, pulled on the hilt, ready to pull it out. He hurried to take the dangerous toy away from her, and she pouted. He was a little surprised that she got that excited over a weapon. But after Eden, with her unnatural obsession with sharp objects, it took a lot to amaze him.

"Maybe when you're older." When she was older, he might not even be alive. But of course, he didn't say that to her. Then he looked out the window again, and chewed on his lip, unsure what to do. It was getting dark, but he didn't feel tired at all. Then, he suddenly remembered a _very _pressing matter to discuss with Antonio. Or rather, he spent the entire walk to the Thieves Guild making it up.

---

It took me two hours to figure out where everything was in the palace, but I finally had the layout in my mind. The kitchens, the servant's quarters and the barracks were all on the ground floor, a large cellar right beneath them. The guest bedrooms, all seemingly fifty hundred of them, were located around the second floor landings, beside a gallery and an armory. The weapons, sadly, were used for decorations only, and though they looked impressive, I could tell that they were not very practical. Some of them weren't even sharp, and others reminded me more of those plastic weapons they sold for Halloween in my time.

Emilio's quarters stretched out on the third story, which was heavily defended. I managed to slip past by following another servant who explained to the guards that we were cleaning. The rooms were very large, and decorated with expensive paintings, rugs and carved furniture. Light didn't come through the thick curtains, giving the room a creepy, dark look to it. Emilio himself was nowhere in sight. There was nothing important lying around, and the office door was locked tightly. I could have lock-picked it, but the maid was shooting me suspicious glares, as if trying to recall my face, but couldn't. I gave up on that idea, getting out quickly, before she came to the epiphany that I was not supposed to be there.

In the kitchens, there was a lot of chattering. The cooks were yelling something about worthless servants and how important they were, pleading for the girls to stop chattering and finally get them the stupid bowls they've been asking for an hour. I listened closely to the whispering around me, straining my ears. Of course, a lot of it was just waffle. The typical gossip you would hear anywhere except for men-only bars, and even there sometimes. Like, how cute that one guard looked, or the sale price on dresses and the latest fashions of Milan. Basically, the crap I did my hardest to tune out while I was in high school.

But, surprisingly enough, it was one of those annoying gossipers that got me something useful. I was careful to avoid talking myself, but I had no problem making it look like I was working within earshot of the two.

"...it's been so quiet now, and the Master is still not lowering security! I swear, we've been working twice as hard with all the guards here!"

"I wish the Captain would at least let us go home, my family is probably worried sick! I haven't talked to them for weeks!"

"Oh, the Captain spends all his night drinking and going around the brothels. He thinks that doubling the guards will make up for it. I don't see how Master still hasn't replaced him..."

_"The Captain is going to be away, then?"_ I thought, my mood lifting slightly. Emilio was a merchant, so it was likely that all he cared for were his trade and power, and his connections to the Templars. And if all went well, then we'd easily be able to get whatever letters or documents we needed after his death. The captain of the guard was more likely to have the strategic layouts for security.

I thought about it. His room was most likely near the barracks, and probably locked tightly to stop overly curious people like me. I guessed that he'd be the only one with the key aside from Emilio himself. If I could just catch him before he left...

No, that wouldn't fly. He might have been a drunk, but I doubted he was an idiot. The only way to get inside his room would be when he came back, hopefully drunk as hell, and very disoriented. And if not... well, then, I guess what I found out so far would have to do.

---

The Captain of the guard was...well, hammered, for a lack of a better term. Only his strong will, his veteran body, and - oh, who am I kidding. The only reason the man managed to drag himself back into the palace was because of years of alcoholism and experience, and his slightly more sober friend helping him stay up right. Despite that, no one who was still in the courtyard at this late hour dared to laugh. I was still undercover, so I had to bite down on my cheek to keep myself from hysterical giggling. The Hammered Captain was slurring out songs off key, the words jumbled, and I think, dirty.

But in any case, this was my chance. I rushed forward to help support him. No one even noticed - this must have been very common. He reeked of cheep ale and perfume, so it was no mystery on how he spent the evening. Shuddering under the weight, I helped his friend drag him inside the barracks. The more sober guard then detached himself, and fell onto the nearest bed, immediately beginning to snore loudly, leaving me to half-carry the captain into his room.

"I need the keys," I said as gently as I could. He looked at me with unfocused and bloodshot eyes, a stupid grin on his face.

"Puuurty... lad- hic- keys?" I didn't get what he was trying to say, but he obediently fumbled with his belt. I waited patiently as after a few failed tries, he just wrenched the keys off his belt, and took them away from him, unlocking the door.

As soon as we were inside, I wanted to push him towards the bed, or the floor, for that matter, but his grip on me suddenly tightened, and his arms hugged around my waist. I didn't understand what was happening for one moment, and then panic came over me. I tried to twist out of his death grip. But my moment of hesitation worked against me. When he felt my resistance, he mumbled something angrily, and pushed me away from him with some force, making me slam into the wall, which I think resulted in forming a bruise on my left cheek and shoulder. His hand then came down on me again - I think he was aiming for a slap across the face, but I caught in on its way to my neck, my fingers digging into his wrist.

If he was sober, I think I wouldn't have gotten away the easily, but now I just shoved him away from myself, making him trip onto his bed. There he curled up, and began sucking his thumb. I suddenly had the urge to spit on him, and I applauded my own willpower when I didn't.

The room was medium size, with an uncomfortable looking bed, heavy, but simple furniture, and a few weapon and armor racks along the walls. That had no interest to me, though, because I was running out of time. I focused my attention on his desk.

Finding the things I needed was surprisingly hard. I still had the keys, so getting into the desk was no problem, but the maps were buried deep under all the clutter. I lost another half an hour looking through the desk, grumbling under my breath. I was sure the captain of the guard would not wake up, and it wasn't likely that some one would check up on him, but I still needed to hurry.

I froze when I came across the charters, and let out a relieved breath. It showed all guard posts inside and outside. Hurrying to tuck it away, and muffling the jingling of the keys, I speedily made my way out. The barracks were half full now, the day shift coming in, but no one questioned why I was there, mostly due to the fact everyone was asleep.

But in the courtyard, there was an unpleasant surprise. When I left with the captain, it was empty except for the patrols. Now, it was crowded with people, all gathered around something. I didn't care for whatever it was, and was going to just go past, when I heard what they were saying.

"Who could have done such a thing..."

"They found them locked in the dungeons! Right here, inside the palazzo!" The whispers were panicked, scared. I licked my lips nervously. They discovered the dead guards faster than I hoped.

"Wake the Captain!"

"Are you kidding?!"

"...right! Send a few more men out to the perimeter, and guard the entrances! The killer might still be inside!"

I swore mentally, watching as four guards rushed off to the main exit, blocking it completely. I'd have to find another way out. I looked around, thinking hard.

---

"Would you stop that!" Antonio finally snapped, ready to bash his head against his desk. Ezio has been pacing back and forth in his office for nearly an hour now, the angry rhythmic clanking of his weapons nearly driving him insane.

"She's still not back!" It's been two hours since midnight, and there was still absolutely no sign of Eden.

"Then she just got caught up or delayed." Ugo confidently replied, having seen her in action a few times. "Besides, I feel bad for whoever tried to get in her way." Antonio nodded in agreement.

Ezio finally sighed, and sat back into his seat tiredly, leaning his elbows onto his knees. "That worries me too. With her luck, she'll come here with half the city's guards chasing at her heels." And he didn't know her to be all that good of an actress. She was taking a huge risk going in there, and it still didn't sit well with him. _Please let her just be running late..._

"Give me your sooouuuls!" someone suddenly wailed as the door flung open. Antonio and Ugo jumped up in shock.

"Eden,_ what the hell?!_" Ezio was the only one who didn't even flinch, and after a moment the soaked figure in the doorway began to giggle, coming inside into the candlelight. Then she sniffed.

"Before all the questions and hugs, please, please, please find me some dry clothes. This is just uncomfortable," she gestured down her body.

"You're wearing-?!"

"A dress? Yes, as a matter of fact I am. A v-very wet and cold dress. So I just want everyone to know t-that if I die of pneumonia, I will come back down to h-haunt your asses," she retorted, teeth chattering.

"Duly noted," Ezio replied, feeling slightly lightheaded with relief and laughing. She looked overall cheerful, if shivering and soaking with canal water, her hair falling down limply from the hairpins she'd bound it back with.

Once she was out of the dress, and into some stray, loose male clothing and a blanket that Ugo got for her, she finally told them what happened in the Palazzo della Seta. "...but the most important part is, I got the maps. Here," she tossed the charters onto the table. Antonio's eyes widened as he examined them. Ezio shifting his eyebrows together.

"How did you keep them dry?"

"Do you really want to know, or do you want to sleep at night?" she asked, smirking, and he shook his head, grinning as well. She was definitely back. And her teeth finally stopped chattering.

"This will make sure everything runs a lot more smoothly!" Antonio was getting more excited by the second. "_Grazie, Madonna!_ Now we can finalize the plans and make preparations. And considering the men you freed are already on their feet, we can start in about a week!"

"Lovely. It was a hectic month, and I was getting a little tired of Bob. The kid will be the death of me." Eden grumbled in good humor.

"I thought I was going to be the death of you?" Ezio reminded her of her many comments on the matter, and she laughed.

"Get in line. Actually, I should start a list. No, two! One for people who will drive me into my coffin, and a second for people who I should do the same to!"

"And let me guess, I'll be at the top of them both?"

"Nah. You'll be somewhere below that guy on the market that drools all the time, and the damned old lady that did the U-turn where she wasn't supposed to and cut me off."

"...I'm not even going to ask."

"That's right. Spare your braincells. Now, I'm very tired. If we're done here, can we please go home?" she finally asked, yawning widely. She looked very tired, but happy with her success, not minding the fact that she jumped from a window into freezing water, and swam in that water all the way back to the Thieves Guild. Antonio just waved his hand, not caring where we were now that he had something new to do with his model of the district. He almost looked like a child with his toys, his expression concentrated and slightly maniac. Eden picked up the still wet dress, and laughed at Ezio's raised eyebrow.

"Don't look at me like that. Just because they're impractical and I don't wear them doesn't mean I hate dresses. And this one is free. I don't suppose there's some sort of primitive eBay around? No? Well, fine, I'll think of something." He shook his head and grinned, unable to get mad at her for being late. Especially as she continued to surprise him, even when he thought that was no longer possible.

---

Home greeted me with...well, nothing. Obviously. Everything was almost exactly the way I left it that morning. Ezio walked in behind me, shutting the door. I immediately hung the dress over the balcony to dry, and shook some stray water off my hands.

"Well, today was-" He very suddenly pulled me into a rib crushing hug. "..._okay_, where did that come from?"

"I missed you," he muttered into my hair, not showing any signs of letting go. I nearly melted, except for the fact that I was slowly choking.

"And because of that you feel the need to deprive me of oxygen?" I asked, my voice slightly strained. He hurried to loosen his embrace, but didn't let go. I sighed with a lot more content, breathing in his familiar scent. "I was only gone for a day."

"Yes, and suddenly I realized it's just not the same without your silly comments. Besides, you're freezing, _piccola._" I was definitely cold, the shuddering ceasing only slightly with Ezio's arms around me. Also, I felt a suspicious pressure in my lungs and throat that had nothing do with his bear hugs. His lips brushing my forehead, he frowned. "And your face is burning up. Come on, we can't have you getting sick."

I wanted to defiantly reject the concern, but I realized he was right. I had little desire to catch a cold right when we were so close to the end. He narrowed his eyes suddenly, and brought his hand up to touch my cheek. I felt a quick pain shoot my nerves, and I instinctively jerked away.

"What happened?" he sharply asked with concern, and some aggression, as if ready to hunt down whoever was responsible. I was flattered, but letting him do that would be a stupid idea.

"It's nothing, just got into a little fight with The Hammered Captain. But on the plus side, I got his wallet! And keys! We'll see how he likes that in the morning..." He stared at me hard for a long moment, and then sighed.

"Well, I suppose it was stupid of me to expect you to come back completely unharmed."

"Don't be that way. I get cut and bruised all the time. It's not like I got raped, so rest easy." I'm not sure why the hell I was the one reassuring him, but I guess I knew what he felt like. My heart just about froze whenever I thought about him climbing inside that palace, alone, and going straight for the kill.

So when we finally settled down to sleep, I snuggled up to his warm side, determined not to think about it anymore. Thinking would be bad. Thinking would mean I'd get confused again. I hated being confused. Or sick. So, in some way, I was rather highly grateful for the human warmth and comfort...

---

My cold disappeared in a few days, and I was very happy to be out and about without wanting to curl up into a ball and whine like a dying dog. I suddenly felt a lot more bouncy, as if on a constant sugar high. Despite everything, I decided that life was good. The trees were still green, despite the rare snow that fell onto the rooftops, melting before they even touched the chimneys. All around me, I expected the people to start singing, as if in a creepy musical...okay, I'm making it up; the people were still depressing, but I tuned them out.

When going over the plans, _again_, I came to the sad conclusion that Antonio's model just wasn't the same as the real thing, so me and Ezio climbed up onto the roofs to check things over again. Well, I mostly just wanted to get some fresh air and stretch my muscles.

"Okay, then." I placed my hand on my hips, looking around the rooftops critically. Ezio crossed his arms beside me. "Well, if you and Antonio manage to replace these guards and get inside before sunrise, you won't run the risk of getting an arrow in places arrows shouldn't be. So let's go over this, one more time."

"I steal the uniforms, bring Ugo the gondola, and eliminate the archers on the roof as quietly as possible." he recited.

"The thieves will distract the guards at the main entrance, because it's somehow assumed that they're going to fall for it a third time…"

"…And I climb up the walls like Rosa taught me and get inside."

"Right. Now, there are about four more guards on the roof of the palace, try to avoid them. Then, considering the late hour, Emilio will probably be in his quarters. Do you remember where they are?"

"Third story. You also said there's five guards stationed around him."

"Right. Just..." I thought about it, chewing on my lip. "Smoke bombs! Those things you got in San Gimignano? Those should give them a sufficient distraction."

"Alright. And I even have keys." He jingled the ring I got from the Captain. "How did you get these, anyway? Did you pickpocket them or something?"

"Haha. Nope. The Captain of the guard handed them over to me while he was so hammered he probably thought I was his late mother. Though I doubt he would hit his own mother..."

I noted him clench his teeth, but thankfully, he ignored the last comment. "How do you know his mother is dead?"

"Figure of speech, just roll with me here. Either way, he probably won't even remember who helped him into his bed, or where his keys went." I snorted, remembering the poor man. "But back to our goats- I mean archers. As always, I'll back everyone up. If anyone notices you on the roofs, I'll snipe them down for you, and I'll make sure our friends are out of danger as well."

"What are the chances of success?" He was smiling when he said that, and I rolled my eyes, running the calculations.

"Considering they might be a little jumpy from the two murdered guards, and that Emilio is paranoid by nature, and that some of the thieves are still healing...well, besides that, we're better prepared, we have a solid, almost foolproof plan, the archers will be taken care of, they won't suspect what's going on until it's too late, and the fact that we know where Emilio is going to be. Hmm, I'd say around a sixty five percent chance of success."

"Seriously? That's a huge change," he raised his eyebrows in shock. I shrugged.

"Yes. Because you know how to get over the walls, the thieves will distract the guards, and you hopefully won't have to enter combat until inside. Oh, and I also forgot, it's you, so make that seventy percent."

"You have new found confidence in me?" he drawled, leaning closer and flashing a confident smile.

"Not really, but you've surprised me so far, so let's hope you can do it again," I smiled cockily, and he laughed, the sound light and comforting. "In any case, Emilio will most likely die before the next sunrise."

"Alright then. As you say, let's roll."

---

Taking out the guards was nothing short of too easy. None even saw Ezio coming as he sneaked up the walls, popping up only to send another one of them flying over the edge to their deaths, and gone before anyone saw the absences and a suspicious figure over the bodies. As he cleared out the area around the palace, the thieves hid the bodies by either pushing them into the water or stuffing them into the carts of hay. The disguised men then took their places.

Everything went smoothly. No one outside the thieves even knew what has happening. Emilio did not suspect an attack tonight.

Once every single one of his targets were eliminated, Ezio jumped down to the streets. There were not many people around, just the late merchants finally packing up and going home. As if they could sense the secret activity, the smaller gangs and solo thieves and robbers stayed home tonight. A few hours later the streets would be deathly quiet, except for the lazy clanking of the night guards on their usual patrols.

Ezio made his way to the meeting spot where Antonio said they'd regroup. Eden was most likely with him. She was more than eager to help assassinate the archers, and stayed behind rather reluctantly (with a lot of grumbling and cursing). She was the main support, pretty much the only one aside from Antonio himself helping those who might be wounded, and shooting down any threat to the operation.

But when the small group came into sight, hidden from those who aren't looking for them in an alley way near the palazzo, there were only three of them. Antonio was talking quietly to Rosa and Ugo, but Eden was not around.

"Good work, Ezio," Antonio greeted as soon as he noted the white blur in the shadows. Ezio walked without hiding, because if he was, it would have been a lot harder to spot him. "As we're speaking, my men are taking the place of Barbarigo's archers. They won't suspect a thing. Now we can-"

"Oh, hai thar," someone suddenly said mockingly from above, and in a blur, Eden landed lightly beside them. Her hair was slightly ruffled and her breathing faster than usual, but she remained as energetic as always. "Would any of you like to know that our dear Templar is having A) a visitor, and B) a boat parked for him right outside the palace, being loaded with supplies?"

"He's trying to escape!" Antonio cursed, "Damn it, if he hears of the assault, he'll get out of our reach."

"We'll follow through with the plan," Ezio reassured him. "Hopefully, he'll be distracted by that guest of his, and he won't realize what's going on until the very last moment."

"And if you're too late, and he'll be gone?" Ugo asked, and Eden lifted her hand up in the air.

"Leave it to me, I'll sabotage the boat, just in case. It'll be hard enough to catch him in the palace, we can't risk him leaving."

"Alright then, continuing as planned," Antonio nodded.

"Use my thieves to get past the guards," Ugo reminded, "They're stationed near the bridges."

"And when it comes to storming the place, remember all I've taught you," Rosa put a hand on his shoulder, and he offered her a charming and grateful smile.

"And I guess it's up on the roofs for me again," Eden sighed loudly, but nonetheless ran up the walls again, hurrying to grasp the narrow balcony and pulling herself up. She did not linger to say her usual "Be careful and don't die please" to him, something he noted right away, but didn't think much of. There was a job to do at the moment, and they could talk later.

Everyone took their positions in a blink of an eye. Unknowingly to those inside, the Palazzo della Seta was surrounded, the perimeter secured. It took Ezio only a nod to the thieves he rescued from Emilio's torture to run at the guards full speed, and draw them away from their posts. Eden was right, those tin cans were really thick to fall for the same trick so many times. Ezio wasted no time in running to the walls, jumping to the first, then second ledge. He noted wearily that there were still hints of Rosa's blood that they didn't manage to wash off, and haven't painted over yet. Then, when it got to the third which was out of his reach before, he pushed off the ridge, leaping up and reaching with his hand. It almost shocked him when he felt it with his hand.

He climbed with no incident, the guards replaced with the thieves who, if anything, would probably cheer him on rather than try to shoot him down. He reached the edge of the roof, and pulled himself up. There was a familiar popping sound, and a guard who was facing away from him before that point fell onto his face with a thump. Ezio looked behind him, not surprised to find Eden crouching on one of the nearest roofs, half concealed by the curtain of a shelter, aiming through the round piece of her gun. He saw her raise her hand and give him the okay gesture. He raised his own in thanks, and continued towards the square hole of the courtyard. He remembered that there were not many guard patrols on this edge, most of them concentrated around Emilio's chambers, so he jumped down to the uncovered walkway that lined the walls, crouching in the shadows, and straining his ears and Eagle Vision.

He heard it then. Two men arguing with raised tones as they descended down the stairs. One of them glowed a bright yellow through the darkness, while the other shone in red. Not his target, but still his enemy. Hmm, he'd have to investigate that one later…

"-your little house of cards is crumbling, Emilio."

"A minor setback. The merchants that defy me and that _miserabili pezzi di merda_ Antonio will be dead or in chains, working on the oars on a Turkish gallery," Emilio said savagely, and Ezio rolled his eyes. _Sure. Keep telling yourself that, __stronzo__._

"I'm not talking about those petty thieves! The Assassin poses a much greater threat, and he will likely target you next!" The man sounded frustrated and very irritated with the merchant's arrogance.

"What- The assassin is here?! In Venezia?!" There were notes of panic in his voice. Ezio did a double take. Emilio didn't know that he was in Venice, after everything that happened? The murder of his spies, the release of the captured thieves, the two dead guards in his own dungeon... and all this time, he remained ignorant?

_Seriously?!_

"Yes, he's been here for weeks! Him and that girl are probably in league with Antonio! That's why the thieves became so bold! We've all been robbed, we all had our guards outsmarted, and I been doing all I can to stop the Doge from poking his nose in!"

"I'll crush the assassin like the bedbug he is!" The Templar snarled menacingly. Ezio almost snorted out loud. His ignorance and arrogance was proving to be highly amusing. He now understood why it was that Eden loved to play on everyone's nerves so much.

"Arrogance has made you stupid, Emilio. You do not see the whole picture. You're nothing but a big fish in a small pond." The man glared at him. "Who's to say he's not here right now, listening to us as we speak?"

"Now, Carlo – you'll be telling me you believe in ghosts, next."

"I don't have time for this, I must get back. Remember, the meeting is in three days from now at San Stegano, outside Fiorella's," As he heard that, Ezio smirked, mentally thanking this Carlo character for giving him the address. They two finally reached the doors at the back of the palazzo, which were opened for the man to step inside his gondola. Emilio nodding to his man, the servant start rowing. Eden must not have gotten to the boats yet, because he seemed to have no trouble gliding away into the darkness.

Emilio stood in his spot for a few moments, and then swore, "_Cazzo_! What is he's right? What if that damned Auditore brat is here?" he was muttering to himself, but loudly enough that Ezio could hear him. Finally, he turned to the man standing not far off, barking orders. "And get those crates in. Have the boat ready in a half an hour! If Grimaldi is speaking the truth, I must find a place to hide, at least until the meeting. The Master will find a way of dealing with the Assassin... Come, help me pack up the documents I mentioned before Carlo came calling," He waved his hand, and a small man with thick glasses fell into step with him, most likely his secretary. They made their way back up the stairs. Emilio's eyes darted around wildly as he passed Ezio, not even noticing him standing immobile in the thick shadows. Ezio followed behind them, stepping silently on the stone floors.

Ezio knew that this was his chance to strike, but he was suddenly curious. What were the documents he spoke of that he couldn't leave behind?

The two men stopped at the office, unlocking it and coming inside. Strangely, there were little guards around, though Ezio decided not to risk it, staying on the staircase and remaining in the shadows. Within a few minutes, they came back out, Emilio carrying a full satchel as they made their way downstairs yet again. A larger gondola floating by the garden gate, strangely enough, there were no guards beside it, ready to defend against anyone cocky and suicidal enough to use the entrance. Emilio then wrenched the satchel away from his secretary, who hurried to get away from him.

And that was when Ezio made his move.

In a split second, Emilio realized what was going on, and attempted to call for his guards. But Ezio already had him by the throat. No one came to his aid, the courtyard completely empty for some reason.

"Do not be afraid," Ezio said almost gently. He wasn't entirely sure what was going on, either, but decided it was a good thing. It was almost anti-climatic, really.

"I feel no fear, assassin," Barbarigo suddenly let out a strained chuckle, losing his strength rapidly as he became more and more limp. "Only regret. I sought unity. Stability. Order."

"At too great a cost," Ezio shook his head, lowering the man onto he floor, and easing the spring blade into his throat.

"Progress... demands... sacrifice..." he gurgled out as life faded from his eyes. Once he breathed no more, Ezio let him go, standing up.

"I take no joy in this, but I see no other way. _Requiescat in Pace_." Closing the dead man's eyes, he took a step away and turned towards the garden gates, raising an eyebrow in confusion. He could have _sworn_ there were guards here earlier.

Suddenly, someone dropped onto the boat, and walked along it, making it rock slightly. Within mere moments, they stepped inside the gate. In a split second, the gondola gave a thoughtful creak, and began to sink.

Eden smiled radiantly, walking towards him. "They left the doors open, silly them," she explained, and he grinned in return. Leave it to Eden to make a situation like this laughable. She glanced at the corpse. "Well, I suppose that's over."

"Yes, I guess it is," Ezio nodded.

"That was a little... I don't know, anti-climatic?" she seemed somewhat confused. "This is usually the point where some guy stands up, laughs, and says it was him all along."

"...what?"

"All I mean is, there's none of that dramatic tension, you know? This would never sell."

"Dramatic tension? Sell? What is this, a play?" Ezio raised an eyebrow. "Come on, let's go." He waved his hand towards the main doors. He wanted to get out before more guards realized what's going on. Eden nodded in agreement, and followed. They were halfway across the courtyard when an arrow whistled through the air, clanking by Ezio's foot, making both of them jump and grab at their weapons. When they looked up, a large number of Bargarigo's archers were spread out on the roofs. Preparing to run for cover, they stopped in their tracks when one of them waved, and took off the helmet.

It was Rosa. Smirking, she shrugged innocently. "Sorry, couldn't resist." She acrobatically climbed down, landing on her feet softly, and in a moment, she was in Ezio's arms, looking up at him with shining eyes, and planted a quick kiss on his lips. Somewhere behind him, he heard Eden gag.

"Get a room," she muttered.

"Let's open the door for Antonio, he's planning a celebration already, and Emilio's wine cellars are legendary!"

---

"Antonio-" Ezio attempted once again as the thief was walking around his office.

"-And look at these rugs, beautiful, absolutely beautiful. Worth breaking inside this place just to rob it, let me tell you that-"

"Antonio!" he finally raised his voice, and made the man stop, and look at him quizzically, "I'm trying to ask something here!"

"Right, I'm sorry Ezio. What bothers you?"

"Emilio was meeting with a man by the name Carlo. Can you tell me who that is?"

"Do you mean Carlo Grimaldi? He's a member of the Doge's entourage. You probably won't be able to get to him, if that's what you're thinking; he spends most of his time inside the Palazzo Ducale."

"Alright, then, here's an easier question. Do you know where Eden went?"

"Is she not downstairs?"

"No." That worried him the most - Eden not coming to a celebration involving booze would mean the end of the world.

"Then I'm afraid I have no idea. Ask around, maybe someone has seen her."


	21. Chapter 20

Once I dealt with the unpleasant ache in my lower stomach, I was a little lost. The markets did not prove to be as interesting as usual, the fat merchants and arguing couples not as amusing as before. I continued to zone in and out of my thoughts, absently walking along the rows of stalls.

_Why do I care?_ The question continued to swirl in my thoughts. But each time it flashed, I failed to come up with an answer. Why did I care that Ezio was a shameless, flirting, womanizing player? Why did I get _so_ angry when I saw him and Rosa kiss? Why did I feel like curling up into some hole now?

Okay, so I knew the answer to the last one. Very sadly, being barren did not excuse me from the five to seven-day female curse that I could confidently call worse than lycanthropy, on the account that it was actually real. And very annoying. Though not so damned annoying as being in such forced, close proximity with a certain sinfully handsome, unbearably polite, passionate, and deadly assassin. I had only myself to blame for the latter.

But what the hell was I supposed to do? Leave him to fend for himself? I was a lot of things, but not a monster. Besides, when he decided to revenge his family's murder, at the same time, I decided I wasn't about to let him get himself killed. Especially considering I'd done the same _exact _thing when they killed my mother, and it destroyed me more than I could have foreseen at the time. We remember history to keep it from repeating, even in the strange time paradox way. At least to a point.

Blood for blood. One life for another. Such was our way. Killing Umberto had to be done. And I had to guide Ezio on his path before he fled Florence. And after Florence... I still couldn't bring myself to leave, even when I had a whole new world to explore. It was imperative that he learn his trade, be given the tools to carry out his mission. Why did I bother? His uncle was there to guide him without my help. But I stayed, unable to walk away. Not to mention, he needed allies and friends, even questionable ones like me to stand by his side when most of the world abandoned him. Content to wipe the Auditore name for history and memory, it was despicable what they did to the family. Who was I to follow the path of weakness and leave him to suffer alone?

Who was I to find myself falling…

_No!_ I furiously thought. _This is ridiculous, Eden! Stop this insanity, NOW._

Eating the least three apples I bought roughly an hour ago, I threw the cores into the canal discretely. Soon, the hoarse singing of the minstrels became a little too much for my nerves to bear. I walked away from the market spot, and climbed up onto the roofs. Stretching absentmindedly as I checked around to ensure no guards would be bothering me with their usual bullshit ("You belong down below, with the rabble!" "Get down, or I'll _throw _you down!" "_Stronzo! _What are you doing up here?!" Yeah, _that_ crap never got repetitive…), I breathed in the fresh air. Looking around, I quickly came to a conclusion; the pigeon coop was not far away from the spot I was at.

"Let's see how Mario is doing, shall we?" I asked thin air. Thin Air, the quiet guy he is, didn't reply, which I took as a sign of agreement.

I really didn't know why the old man was keeping so many secrets from Ezio. He was eager enough to enlighten him of his heritage. But he never told him that the Order was larger than Ezio thought. From Altair's writings, I gathered that once upon a time, they didn't hide, occupying a large fortress somewhere in the Holy Land, a painting of which hung in the villa. At one time, they recruited and trained children, had ranks and informants, and openly carried out their agenda with little fear of reprisal. While Ezio knew of this story, I guess he assumed that only a few assassin lines survived.

Mario assured me it was part of his nephew's training, keeping so many secrets. I didn't understand his reasoning very well, but agreed. After all, no harm done. The old man continued to give me small jobs, but unlike the contracts Ezio got from Lorenzo, these were strictly for the Order, like gathering information and resources, and sometimes, quietly eliminating men that worked for Templars. Again, all of it was kept quiet from Ezio, which I chronically felt bad for.

But at that point, I really didn't give a shit about what Ezio thought.

---

Antonio was ecstatic the entire day, walking along the halls of Palazzo della Seta, and savoring the victory. The Thieves Guild base was transferred there as well, and everyone seemed very happy with the arrangement. No one mourned Emilio's death. Not many people even knew of it, thinking that he was just hiding in his palace. Only the merchants noticed the difference. But now that there was no pressure on them to work, and no one ever came to randomly throw them in jail anymore, they weren't mourning the loss of Emilio either. If anything, a silent truce of sorts occurred between the merchants and thieves; the thieves only stole from those rich merchants that wouldn't miss their gold anyway, leaving the others off their list.

Ezio wanted to join in with the general excitement and celebrations around him, but instead, he felt worried. He hadn't seen Eden for the entire day. Ever since they walked out of the palace after Emilio's assassination, she disappeared in an unknown direction. She had her bag with her at the time, so he wasn't even sure if she was coming back. Or why she made a run for it now, without any sort of trigger or goodbye. Of course, though Rosa proved to be a great distraction in that time, he still couldn't help but wonder.

But when Eden didn't show up for the party the night after, he began to worry. He began to suspect she got into trouble, but no one seemed to know where she was. Ezio figured as much - from what she told him, even God couldn't find her if she didn't want to me found.

The thieves began the celebrating and drinking long before the official party. But the grateful merchants and people released from the dungeons began trickling in around evening. Lights were lit, food and wine put out, and loud laughter and chatter filled the palazzo. Ezio navigated through the crowd, searching for a familiar face, but neither Antonio, Rosa or Eden were in sight. People slapped him on the back, inviting him to have a drink, and sometimes he'd even comply. But the first person who came up with answers was not exactly who Ezio wanted to see.

"Hey," Luca greeted him. "Looking for someone?"

"Yes, actually, do you know where Eden is?" Ezio decided to make do. "I haven't seen her since this morning."

"Oh, she said there was something she had to take care of," he shrugged, shooting a smile to a pretty servant girl. She blushed and giggled behind her hand, avoiding his eye.

"Did she say when she'd get back?" Ezio was a little hurt that Eden informed Luca and not him. The thief shook his head.

"Nope."

"I think I'll go look for her, just in case."

"As you wish." Luca did not seem to care anymore, continuing on his way towards the woman he was flirting with. And Ezio, worried, made his way towards the doors. He made it out eventually, finally relaxing as he walked freely through the garden, heading to town. He wasn't sure where to look for Eden, so he paused for a second to think. If she was taking care of something, it would probably either be in the backstreets or at a smith shop, though everything was probably closed by now. The streets would take forever to comb through on his own...

However, he didn't have to search long. He turned to the street where Leonardo's workshop was, knowing she liked to pay the artist visits. That was when he heard a foreign noise in the general serenity of night time. There was something going on just a street over. And his senses tugged him in that particular direction. Guessing what it could mean, he hurried to the place, grasping at his sword. He was out of his armor for once, wearing civilian clothing because he didn't expect there to be any more excitement until the Templar meeting in a few days. But nonetheless, even if it wasn't Eden, he wasn't about to stand by and let whatever was happening happen.

He turned the corner, and suddenly, a familiar female voice lashed out over the disturbed quiet, as menacing as a tiger's snarl.

"Just stop stalling already! I'm just one woman! Don't tell me you're scared..." Eden was crouched in a defensive position, one of her knives held in reverse grip, and her miniature firearm in the other. She was opposed to two guards, though Ezio realized with surprise that the colors were that of Rome, not Venice. There was already a body laid out in between the two sides, a bloody mess in armor. The soldiers did not seem eager to share his fate, but still shouted threats and orders to her.

"Don't kill her, the Maestro wants her alive!" one of them suddenly said to the other, and Ezio did a double take, meanwhile Eden...

Eden herself looked scary. The most frightening Ezio ever seen her, she was growling like a feral animal, showing clearly that the first man to come at her would die. Blood splattered all over her clothes, and red streaks colored her cheeks and hair. It showed brutal murder, the unrecognizable body at her feet, evidence. It was also very unlike her to bathe in blood like that. Or perhaps it was. So far, Ezio had seen her killer side as coldblooded, calculative, efficient and always light as air, her fighting more a dance than a duel. But now, there was a whole new emotion to her, her fury showing in her every expression, every move.

He was barely able to take a step towards the group, when her patience popped, and she charged first, something also very unlike her. The men were almost shocked at her offense, but still made it to defend themselves. Or would have, if she didn't change her movements in a split second, carving the first man's throat with such force that the head nearly fell off the neck. Her movements blurred, and Ezio found himself unable to move, hypnotized by the bloody dance she was performing. There was nothing cheerful and serene in her now. There was just raw emotion, and her angry movements that seemed to have lashed out with double her usual force. She still didn't take up defense, though, because she continued moving from spot to spot, dancing around the one remaining man before he could strike her.

She got an opening, and suddenly froze, blocking the incoming hit with one hand, and her hand extended towards the man, the gun pressing right between the eyes.

"Flinch and I'll paint the wall with your brains," she snarled. Ezio finally broke through the haze, stepping towards them. Her eyes flickered to him, and the rage in them cooled slightly.

"Eden, that's enough," he pleaded, as if afraid that pushed any farther, and she'll lose her mind. The guard she held on to looked between them frantically, finally realizing just how dangerous the woman was. A little too late, though.

Ezio must have been the only person in the world that could stop Eden from finishing a kill. She stepped away, to his shock, her breathing heavy, and her usually warm eyes looking around wildly. She straightened out, and turned towards Ezio. She looked like hell, with deep circles under her eyes from lack of sleep, and her hair winded. But she took a deep breath, and her sanity seemed to have returned to her.

With a smooth movement, his throwing knife ended the life of the Borgia's soldier, who moments ago couldn't believe his luck. Eden watched with a spark of regret, and a little bit of sadness. "It's not my fault. I warned them," she said that as if trying to explain herself.

_"Cazzo!" _Ezio hissed, taking in the bloody mess one final time before averting his eyes,"What the hell happened?!"

"I was heading to the palace, when they caught up with me. Chased me for a bit, and then..." she rolled her shoulders in an absentminded gesture. "I don't know. Just one of those days. Things build up. Dams break," she said almost sadly, looking back to the bodies. Without warning, she suddenly looked lost, "Go back to the party, I'll clean up and go home." Ezio shook his head, and stepped towards her in an urge to comfort her, holding out his arms out for her. But she didn't step into his embrace as she usually did. Rather, she took a cautious step backwards, looking away from him and crossing her arms.

That hurt. Dropping his arms awkwardly, he shoved his hands into the pockets of his trousers; she built a wall between them very suddenly, and he wasn't sure what or when it happened. She still looked like a little girl in confusion, a great, if disturbing contrast to the sheer rage she displayed minutes earlier.

"No, don't bother staying here, the city guard will be along soon anyway," he said, "So let's just get you home." She nodded, and without waiting for him, she headed off in the direction of the apartment, picking her bag from the ground without stopping. He hesitated for a moment, confused by her behavior, but followed. "Where were you all day?" he finally asked.

"Around." The answer was vague.

"Anything specific? I was worried." There was a hint of a smile on her lips, but it was gone fast. She wouldn't look at him, as if too ashamed to meet his eyes.

"Walked around the market for a bit. Then I went hunting."

"Hunting what?" Ezio asked sharply with alarm.

"Obviously not deer. I figured that the Templars had plenty of spies in the crowds. And since everyone else seemed to have relaxed after last night, I decided to clean up myself."

"Without telling me?"

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was not aware that you were my keeper," she snapped, her mood changing at the speed of lightning and he realized his mistake; never, under any circumstances imply that she was dependent or obliged. It would make everything a lot worse. "Just head back to your party, I can perfectly well make my way home without you."

He froze as she continued walking away fast, not looking back. She was never like that before. She threatened, insulted and mocked him plenty. But this time, she actually meant every word, acid dropping from her tone. He stared at her retreating back, trying to analyze what it was he did to upset her so much, but came up with a blank. Slowly, he turned, and headed back towards the palazzo. She'd cool down in the morning, but right now, she was best left alone. They could talk then, when the frustration disappeared.

---

The tavern was like any you'd see in a historical or fantasy movie. It felt like a cellar, the windows dimmed, the lighting poor, the stench of stale ale in the air. Tankards were smashed against wooden tables, early drunks were laughing, and bar maids squeaked as the patrons pinched their behinds.

I sat at the bar, my cup clenched in both of my hands. My hood was down, as if I was asking for trouble. With my hair grown out a lot more than it was months ago, there was no mistaking me for a man, even when you were that smashed. But I really didn't care. In a way, I _wanted_ a fight.

"Hey, lady!" I glanced at the man out of the corner of my eye, but didn't respond, continuing to sip at the weak ale.

_Ask and you shall receive, _I thought wearily.

"It's not the best place for a woman," he continued to grumble. I barely even registered what he looked like, just that he was oily and unpleasant. "Folks here get a little uncomfortable when a lady's present."

"Thanks for the warning," I finally replied, still not even turning my head to look at him. "Now fuck off."

"Oh, such language!" a new voice rang. None of the other patrons even looked up to see what was going on. "Careful with that sharp tongue, _mia bella_, or someone will get cut."

He should _not_ have called me that. Only Ezio was allowed to do that without loosing a limb. Even Luca became more careful when trying to flirt with me. "Did I not make myself clear?" I asked, finally facing them, raising an eyebrow dangerously, "Clear out, or I will beat you to death with your own spine."

They seemed surprised that I was not intimidated by their large forms and supposedly menacing grins. I'd seen worse. And I was in no mood to play along with them. As the candlelight hit my face, I knew by their gaping expressions they were staring at the two long white scars across my cheek, and the more recent scratch that trailed down to my neck. Those always threw people off... If they wanted to rape me before, they most likely thought twice about it now. But getting over their momentarily shock, one tried to take a grab at me.

I was out of my seat and behind him in a flash, kicking him down onto the bar.

The entire room went silent. Everyone stared in shock as the man picked his teeth off the counter, and attempted to straighten out. But I slammed the nearly empty tankard over his head, knocking him out. I didn't feel bad for spilling the alcohol - it was crap anyway. Turning around to the other man, who was staring at me with his jaw on the floor, I decided it wasn't worth the effort. I pushed the stunned idiot off my seat and onto the floor, sitting back down and waving to the bartender to pass me another round. Moving automatically, he did, not even attempting to speak.

I was finally left alone.

My blissfully blank peace did not last very long, however. Soon, I felt a presence over my shoulder.

I sighed. "Sit, you're blocking the light."

I heard her snort, but she sat down beside me.

"A little early to start drinking," Rosa commented.

"Do I look like someone who gives a shit?"

"No. You look like you're about to drown yourself."

I thought about it. Then shook my head. "Nah, not my style," I snorted, taking another sip out of my cup.

"So you're getting this depressed over a guy, _amici?_"

"I have no idea what you're talking about," I grumbled. She laughed quietly.

"You're not fooling anyone, you know."

"I repeat, I have absolutely no idea what you mean."

"Please, Ezio might be blind enough not to see it. But don't think the rest of us are idiots like him."

"Rosa, I'm not in the mood for games. If you have something to say, please just spit it out," I wearily told her.

"Do you hate me?" she asked bluntly, and I turned towards her, slightly shocked by the change of direction.

"Of course not. If I hated you, I would probably already attempt to push you off the nearest cliff instead of talking to you. Besides, I'm pretty sure you're one of those people this city needs the most. Maybe then they'll grow a little respect for women." I glared in the general direction where my harassers from earlier went.

"And what are you, then?" she raised an eyebrow skeptically, but took it as a compliment.

"Me? I'm just someone who tags along. Being an assassin is definitely better than what I used to be." I shrugged.

"Aside from the fact you get to spend the entire day with our good friend Ezio," she smirked, as if she knew something I didn't.

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"I'm not blind or deaf. You and Ezio seem to very close friends."

"Well, yeah. Considering we save each others necks everyday, friendship is sort of inevitable. I could say the same about my old friend Jake...but I don't see what your point is, though."

"What me and him have, it's purely physical. And I don't want it to go farther than that."

"I'm sure he's going to be heartbroken," I said with sarcasm, and she chuckled. We both knew that Ezio was not the type to break down over a girl. "I'm not interested in becoming another notch on his bedpost, if that's what you're getting at. I admit, he's not the worst looking guy in the world, but I just don't think of him that way."

"Mmhm," she hummed skeptically. "Not even friends with benefits?"

"Nope."

"I have a hard time believing that he never tried anything."

"Oh, he did. Sort of. It's all harmless fun, though, he doesn't actually mean any of it."

"Are you sure?"

"This conversation is going nowhere," I slammed the mug down onto the counter. "You think that I want to sleep with Ezio. I'm pretty sure I don't, and I'm just PMSing. Neither of us is backing down, so how about I buy you a drink, and we forget this conversation ever happened?"

"Eden...?"

"Fine!" I dropped my head onto my arms, "You're right, maybe it's the crappy beer talking, but maybe I do feel something for him... Maybe I do feel jealous when I see him sleep with very freaking woman we come across. Maybe I have a crush on him! But what do you want from me? I'm twenty years old, I haven't had a normal tumble for almost a year now, and damn, he's hot."

"Now we're talking!" she toasted with the tankard that the barkeeper passed to her. Then, she took a sip. "Hm, you're right," she gestured at the tankard, curling her lip in derision, "This is _crap_. No wonder you're talking crazy. Anyway, the first step is you talking to him. He thinks you're mad at him for some reason, and the poor guy was distracted all night." I glared at her and she just shrugged innocently.

"I guess I should apologize...Thanks for the pep talk." I stood up, leaving some money behind me on the counter, which was swiped immediately by the barkeep. "Tell anyone," I sniffed, "And I'll kill you,"

"Right back at ya," she smirked, even as she raised her tankard in toast.

---

Outside the palace, life was boiling. Merchants, encouraged by the fact that no guards came for them anymore, were lowering their prices easily, and the citizens took advantage of it. Everyone's spirits were high, even if the sky had dark clouds creeping from the edges, threatening to snow. Ezio made his way through the crowds, a strange feeling tugging at him, almost like the day before, signaling that Eden was in trouble. He trusted his intuition to follow the invisible thread between them, and wove through the crowds like an eel, searching. She was not in the apartment, of that he was certain, which made it that much harder.

The string lead him into a back alley which was completely empty, contrasting with the bright, loud streets that were filled with people. Figures she'd pick a street like that to walk through. Was she looking for trouble or something?

Eden herself was leaning onto one of the walls, her arms crossed, looking very bored, and not minding the approaching figures from the opposite of Ezio side.

"There she is! That's the girl!" one of them yelled. Ezio was surprised to find two fairly large men who looked like your average drunks. One sported a black eye, flanked by armed soldiers that were Borgia's men.

"Someone just doesn't know how to let go, it seems," Eden sighed loudly, lifting a hand in greeting to Ezio.

"How is it that you manage to find trouble everywhere?" he asked. Not even bothering to pull out his sword, he shrugged as one of her throwing knife flickered in her hands, and ended up in one of the guard's helmet. There was an echoing grunt, and he fell.

"Not my fault. Those two assholes were harassing me at the bar," she pointed out, coming to stand by his side. "Don't kill them, other that being jerks, they're innocent. Unless they're rapists."

"What did you do?" Ezio snorted. The squad seemed to be taken aback by how easily she killed one of them, the two "innocent" bear-like men staring at her with shock. They obviously did not expect her to be dangerous.

"_Me?_ I didn't do anything!" she grumbled. "They started it! I thought a little fight would at least teach them some manners. Obviously they didn't learn the lesson the first time."

Ezio sighed. "Come on, this isn't worth the effort. We already have half the city's guards looking for us, let's not get into this now."

The men seemed to be slowly realizing just what they got into. They expected a woman who beat them on sole luck, instead find two wanted criminals who didn't think twice before killing the two out of five armed men coming at them before they could even draw their weapons.

"Your right," Eden replied, "But if I see them again..." He hurried to pull her away, and they broke into a run before Borgia's men could even realize what was happening. After a moment, they heard them give chase, but lost them easily in the labyrinth of backstreets. "By the way, I'm…uh…sorry I yelled at you last night. You didn't deserve it."

"Sure," he replied hesitantly, unsure how to respond. She seemed sincere, and when she looked at him, there was regret in her eyes. "No harm done."

"Beg to differ, for as far as I remember, there was a massacre in one of the streets," she reminded him. "Which I'd also be sorry for if it wasn't them who attacked first."

"So you going to tell me what was the matter?" he asked cautiously, almost afraid she'd blow up again. But it seemed like the storm was over.

"Oh, just the force of nature called PMS. I'm only human."

"PMS?" he repeated, confused, and she laughed. It was good to hear her laughing again, as if an invisible weight lifted off his shoulders. She had that effect on people. _Or is it just me?_

"You really don't want to know. It won't happen often, I promise."

"Well, if it makes you feel any better, you kicked ass," he offered, finally relaxing.

"I _did_," she grinned widely. "But how about we go back home to talk? It's getting pretty cold." He returned her smile, nodding. She was right - not only was it getting cold, but snow began to fall around them, actually reaching the ground instead of melting above the rooftops. People stopped their routines just to lift their heads and watch, charmed, as it swirled around them, landing in their hair and clothes. It was a beautiful sight to see. Admittedly, Ezio hasn't seen much snow in Florence in his life, so he was just as amazed as the rest of the crowds. Eden smiled at the sky as well, childish excitement on her face, even as she continued their conversation as they walked. "Thanks for not hating me, by the way. I know I got a little crazy last night."

"A little?"

"Or, a lot."

"Hmmm..."

"Fine, as crazy as a hurricane. But again, thanks for not holding it against me." Seemingly on an impulse, she hugged him around the waist, returning quickly to her childish personality. He laughed and gently patted her hair. She was really something. "Hey, I think I can make it up to you, though." Even though he'd never admit it, his heart skipped a beat when she said that.

"How so?"

"Don't get excited, I'm not the type of girl," she smirked as if reading his mind, and his cheeks warmed up a bit in spite of the cold. She bent down briefly to scoop up some snow that finally settled, beginning to pile, and rolled it in her hands. She was now thinking absently. "I meant what I found out from my little episode last night."

"You actually found something?" he raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"Aside from an angry mob of Roman guards? Yes, yes I have. Borgia is in Venice," she shrugged, beginning to toss the small snowball back and forth between her hands.

"Yes, there's a Templar meeting on the day after tomorrow," he explained, realizing that she didn't know what he heard from Emilio and Carlo. She disappeared before he even discussed it with Antonio, which was pretty much as soon as the palazzo was secured.

"Oh!" she made a surprised noise. "Well, then. I don't know where he's staying, but I do know he has one of his puppies with him. For protection, I suppose."

"Wait a moment, did you actually see him?"

"No, I interrogated one of this men last night when the caught up with me. Or, the scout, at first, who I got the information out of right before his friends showed up." Ezio remembered the bloody mess at her feet, and suddenly realized why he was in such a bad shape. Eden's killing was a lot more efficient than shallow cuts and bruising, even when she was that angry. She sighed, adding some more snow to the ball in her hands, packing it down. She didn't seem to mind the cold that much, considering she was from a much colder place than this. "You've seen the rest, I suppose."

"Anything else?"

"Why, yes! I wrote an entire book on Borgia and his plans!" she snorted.

"...Really?"

"No, not really," she shook her head. After a moment, she suddenly grinned. "Ezio?"

"Yeah?"

"When was the last time you had snow shoved down your shirt?"

"Um, nev-" She suddenly surprised him by reaching up, snatching his collar open, and dropping the snow ball down his back. The snow burned his skin as he arched instinctively, barely keeping his balance while she began to laugh hysterically at his expression. "You..."

"Well, gotta go, see you!" She called over her shoulder as he finally got the snow out of his shirt. Growling menacingly, he chased after her. She was fast though, her smaller size and his training going to a great advantage. He realized that if she wanted to, she'd easily get away from him. But he didn't give up, and continued to chase her as she laughed, and the people around them turning their heads in confusion. It was hard to keep her in sight with all the snow, and at one point, he even had to use his Eagle Vision to find her. She trailed around the alleys, slipping in between people easily, but eventually she flew through the doors of the building they were staying at. He chased her through the hallways, laughing at the shocked faces of the people that lived there. Hopefully, the landlord wouldn't kick them out for soundlessly playing a game of tag.

In the room, she still stood her ground, defiantly laughing as he caught his breath. He made an attempt to grab her, but she slid away, leaving him to grip empty air.

"You don't actually think it's that easy, do you?" she giggled as she regained her step.

"Easy? Nah, you wouldn't be _you_ if you made things easy." He was just about bursting from laughter, but still tried to keep the expression of grim determination and vengeance. She was not impressed.

"That's true," Eden replied happily, circling around him under his arm, a good move with anyone else but Ezio. He reflexively lowered his arm out right in front of her, catching her into his arms so that her back was pressed against his chest.

"Gotcha!" he grinned at her as she meeped slightly, her arms caught in his grip. Knowing her, he made sure she couldn't kick or trip him, and proceeded to disarming the weapons closest to her reach.

"Hey! No touching my knives!" she whined, wiggling in his grip. "Seriously, you'll regret it!"

"You shoved snow down my shirt!" he complained in return, but continued to take the knives he was aware out of their hidden sheaths, putting them onto the nearby table.

"Alright, Ezio, let me make this clear," she was still laughing, but at least attempted to sound threatening. "For every oily finger print on them, I will make you regret being a man. And yes, it is possible to do it multiple times in just a matter of minutes."

Somehow, he believed her, and decided it would be best for him if he didn't let her go. "Now, can we talk like civilized people?"

"Nope," she shook her head, the melting snow in her hair flying everywhere. "I thought we established that there is no way you'll ever get the best of me?"

Before he could reply she headbutted his chin, only hard enough to make him stagger, and took advantage of it in a split second. The next, he was lying flush on the floor, blinking up at the ceiling and trying to realize how that happened. She quickly straddled his hips, effectively pinning him down, smirking.

"Told ya," she breathed, and he humphed.

"I'm not even going to ask how the hell you managed to do that."

"Well, let's just say Mario taught me a few tricks, as well." She was still smiling as she rested her chin in her hands, her elbows on both sides of his head, so she was hovering a few inches above him. "I like to keep a few aces up my sleeve, just in case." There were playful sparks in her eyes, her smile was happy, her hair still damp and windblown, and her cheeks red from the run and struggle. She would have looked absolutely beautiful right now, if not for the long slice across her cheek. Ezio focused on that, distracting himself and trying to calm his heartbeat down. The scratch was new, most likely gained during the fray the night before, though it didn't seem to bother her. Now that he looked at her this closely, he could see many scars running through her skin like white threads. She had more of them than Ezio, showing her life of violence. He caught himself on an urge to trace the marks, and wonder what her skin would feel like. He doubted that she would allow him to do such a thing, though.

She looked up, and out the window, still smiling, oblivious to his thoughts. "You know, one day, my dad took us all out sledding during the winter to the big park we had. My mom brought hot chocolate, and Eve and I were all wrapped up in our winter clothes. Dad dragged us around on the sled, laughing when we threw snowballs at him." Somehow, he could imagine it; two excited girls playing in the snow, their parents laughing with adoration. Ezio loved it when she told him about the happier side of her life. It allowed him to see that she had at least some happiness in her life.

A curious thought flew to his mind. He wasn't sure when, but they'd became completely comfortable with those compromising positions. Anyone else would call them "too close for comfort". And, not for the first time, he found himself responding to her, though she never noticed it…or maybe pretended not to.

He always felt so frustrated when she moved away from him, bitter disappointment dancing at the edges of his mind. He caught himself thinking, like many other times, that she really knew how to tease a man. Even if she didn't intend to...

"You know, I think Borgia is sending assassins after us now," she stated, looking down to meet his eyes. "Apparently, he's finally decided that we needed to be dealt with. Permanently."

"What makes you think that?" Ezio murmured, letting his hands come to rest at the small of her back, itching to move her closer, but he restrained himself, unsure how she'd respond to that.

"The two soldiers last night and the four today were hardly a coincidence. They were looking for one of us near the palace, probably suspecting who was the reason of Emilio's death," she gave him a pointed look. "And considering I'm constantly underestimated, they were looking for me personally, maybe hoping to give you a distraction while they have their meeting."

"They probably won't stop hunting us, then."

"Like we won't stop hunting them," she shrugged, "We just need to be on our guard now."

---

I have to say, we were gathering quite a crowd around us after an hour of practice. People cheered with changing allegiance, some even betting. I think from what I gathered, there was at least fifty coins on me, and about the same on Ezio. The chances were pretty much even at the moment, anyway, with luck changing sides as much as the people around us.

I twirled away from his blade, missing it by inches, and then it was his turn to jerk away in fear of loosing his head. Then before he had a chance to strike again, I brought through another hit, making him jump away. And we continued on, dancing around each other, and summoning appreciative whistles from the crowd and annoyed grumbling out of the few guards that didn't see a reason to break up a practice match just yet.

We were fighting in the middle of the palace that recently changed hands in favor of Antonio, who made sure that it was still operational. The merchants seemed to like having a thief in charge rather than a Templar. Though, mostly because he did not raise the taxes for trade any more than was the standard, and never attempted to force them under his command. The more important members of the guild, such as Rosa, Ugo, and Bianca moved in as well, though a lot of them grumbled that it was too puffed up and fancy. And us assassins had taken up sparring right in the courtyard. Which I was all for, because Ezio stripped off his robes, eventually even shedding his tunic. Showing off his tanned, muscled chest, any sane woman could appreciate it. Even if it was a bit distracting, at least I was enjoying the practice a whole lot more. Which was about the same that could be said for all the female viewers, who I heard sighing wistfully in the background.

As tempting as it was to scar everyone present for life, I kept most of my clothes on, considering it wasn't quite that warm yet. Though I did strip down to my tunic, trousers and boots.

"Come on, I've seen snails faster than you!" I taunted in good humor, to which he snorted, never faltering in his movement. I was bluffing, of course; I was barely keeping his hits at bay. He seemed to realize finally that he shouldn't hold back on me, and went at it with full strength. Luckily, I wasn't stupid enough to try and parry his hits, for fear of my blades being broken.

"Careful, or I'll accidentally squash you," he chuckled.

"Mmmm... squash. I hear it's really good with baked potatoes and carrots..."

Now _that_ made his falter, his expression bewildered. But he recovered quickly, blocking my strike.

"When did the almighty Eagle of Florence become a little chicken? You can do better than that!" I was not really sure what I was playing at, but hey, insanity is fun.

Somehow, at one point, our weapons were discarded, and that was when the martial arts practice began. At least, that's what I was doing - being a former dancer made it easy. That summoned even more sighs and cheering from the crowd. Our movements even more fluid and synchronized, it was like a very strange dance routine. We were fairly equally matched, our speed basically the same.

I aimed a kick at him, but he caught my calf at inch away from his body. However, I easily twisted out of his grip and took a step away from him, getting out of the defensive position.

"Alright, I think we should stop before those girls faint," I jerked my head in the direction of the said swooning girls that came in with the rest of the crowd through the gates, which were now always wide open to everyone. Ezio smirked, from which I assumed that he knew _exactly_ the effect he had on the surrounding people. Someone it the crowd groaned. Funny folks, they were. "Besides, this is getting a little old."

"You know, you're right. Let's try something different." I really didn't like that smirk of his. It put Jake to shame.

"What do you mean?" I asked cautiously, and he continued grinning.

A few minutes later, I regretted ever complaining...

"You've got to be kidding." I whispered, staring at the huge axe in his hands with fear. "No. Fucking. Way."

"Well, you're the one complaining about practice becoming too boring," he shrugged, smirking.

"Getting cleaved in half is _not _my idea of spicing things up!!!"

Not many people ever came at me with a gigantic battle axe. Actually, so far on my count, just one Brute guard in San Gimignano. And I also recalled my head nearly leaving the rest of my body, which I couldn't, in the right state of mind, _ever _consider a good memory. I was almost completely sure that Ezio was doing this because of the snail and chicken comment...

But I did not get the chance to voice any of my complaints as he already came at me. I don't know how the hell he managed to lift that thing, but he seemed to wave it around with confidence. All I had left to do was dodge as it fell onto me. The game just took a very dangerous turn, and the god damned audience was encouraging it. I decided all of them were going on my death list.

_1- Ezio_  
_2- The guy thats drooling_  
_3- Fat merchant_  
_4- Ezio_  
_5- Fatter merchant_  
_6- Ezio god-damned Auditore..._

I chuckled at my thoughts, close to another nervous breakdown. After a few moments of jumping around like a scared bunny, I finally decided I couldn't take much more of it. He couldn't harm me with the speed I was going at. But if I hesitated even for a moment, there was a good chance of getting hit. The mess would be unbelievable.

"Hey, break it up down there!" I nearly fell to my knees with relief as Antonio leaned over the railing of the staircase. He took Emilio's former office, barely ever leaving it now, except to meet with merchants. Ezio finally stopped, and looked up, while I took the moment to get close, and get the axe away from him. It nearly fell out of my hands, and I hurried to drop it onto the ground as far away from the assassin as possible. He glanced at me, amused, and then hollered back to Antonio.

"We're just about finished!"

"I hate you," I hissed at him lowly, to which he just smiled cockily as I tried to stay upright and not collapse in exhaustion. I glared at him. "And I thought you wanted to visit Leonardo today, anyway."

He suddenly slapped himself on the forehead. "I thought I was forgetting something! Right, then, let's be off," I finally picked up and sheathed my knives with relief, rolling my aching shoulders. I spared the axe one last glance. It stayed in the ground, no one even attempting to get it out, and I suspected that not many people here actually could. Ezio, to everyone's (including mine) disappointment, put his tunic back on.

As we left, a few girls flocked over to Ezio, swooning even harder. They were slightly younger than me. Very pretty in an obvious, plain way, with large, innocent eyes, and bodies of courtesans, though they didn't show them off quite as much. And I bet my left hand each of them was already married. He charmingly, and very vaguely hinted that we were very busy. I nearly gagged as they began showering him with praises and suggestions, all sweetened to the point of being inedible.

...wait, did I actually just compare their flirting with food? I think Ezio's right, my mind is going....

"So strong... and so handsome, too," they were whispering between each other as if we were not just a few steps away. Ezio seemed to be all but reveling in the attention. "And did you see- oh, my- What's he doing with-"

"That's it!" I finally snapped when they made a pass at me. "Girls, if you want his autograph, come out and say it, because he's about as responsive to hints as you are! Now get lost!"

They glared at me as if I just insulted their very dear mothers, and humphed. But remembering my performance earlier, they decided it would be safer somewhere away from the "crazy whore", as they called me. After an amount of fluttered eyelashes and coy smiles, they finally left.

"What I don't get," I muttered, crossing my arms as Ezio looked slightly disappointed, "Is how the hell you manage to hypnotize the girls everywhere you go. It's like you brainwash them."

"Now, now, no need to be jealous," he smiled putting an arm around my shoulders, which I didn't rip out of its socket only on the account that we were friends. And the account that I liked it. "You know you're my favorite, _piccola_."

My heart skipped a beat, but I responded sharply with, "Depends on what you mean. I'm pretty sure I'm your favorite person to annoy the hell out of. Now, unless you want to lose that arm, get it off me."

"Touchy," he joked, but nonetheless, took a step away from me. "Besides, what am I supposed to do? Rosa pointed me to the door for some reason, and you just chased away my admirers! And the brothel is on the other side of town!"

"Figures you'd have to pay to get a woman into bed," I snorted. "Take your sexual energy and frustration out on something cheaper. And something that's not me."

An alarm went off in my head as an arrow suddenly whistled through the air, and sunk into the gondola dock we were just walking by. Ezio shoved me out of the way just in time, or it would have pierced right through me. I got back to my feet in a flash as Ezio sharply looked up. Another arrow nearly lodged itself in his leg, but he jumped behind a stack of crates, out of the line of sight, and I quickly followed, crouching behind him.

"Assassins, you say?" I whispered, "They really don't seem to like us!" People were looking around, frightened. Someone screamed, and I heard the smashing of a dropped jug. Roof guards probably rarely ever showered arrows on them, and they hurried to get away from the spot.

"I can't imagine why, you're so lovely," he said sarcastically, and I narrowed my eyes.

"Hey! Now is not the time for this argument! Let's get off the streets first!" I risked a glance out, and noted the positions of the archers around us.

"Water!"

"It's not exactly time for a bath, either..."

"I meant escape through the water," he snorted. I shook my head feverishly.

"No, one cold is quite enough for me. I'd rather just wait patiently while they get bored and go away rather than do that again!"

"Do you have a better plan?!"

"Yes!" I suddenly nodded, "Run for it!"

And without waiting for him to tell me just how suicidal my plan was, I picked up one of the empty crates, putting it over my head, and ran for it. Trailing around like a rabbit in the snow, I made my way at full speed to the nearest line of people. Years of dodging bullets paying off, I heard the arrows whistle and clink behind me, sometimes too close for comfort. But I made it to the crowd, who were staring at the unfolding events frozen in fear. Moments later, Ezio caught up with me, and grasped my elbow in warning.

"There's more!" he told me, and I felt them as well. I handed some random passing man my crate, which had two arrows buried in it, and he nearly fainted while we hurried away. We ducked slightly, and Ezio pulled me towards the alleys not far away, hoping to lose sight of them. The attack was more carefully executed than the last, and I did not like their determination one bit. Before we could give them a chance to catch up, we climbed up to the balconies.

"All clear," I whispered, looking inside the window. No one seemed to be home, the small house completely empty. I pushed it open, climbing inside, and Ezio quickly followed. Then we shut the frame behind us, soundlessly walking across the room. Outside, we heard the clanking of metal, growing nearer, and then fading again. I let out a breath of relief I didn't realize I held, and followed him.

I froze halfway to the door, though, a slow grin spread on my lips.

"What's wrong?" he turned around to me, confused. I barely contained laughter.

"I think I was wrong, it's not clear," I whispered, making a gesture towards the door that likely led to the bedroom, and slapped my forehead soundlessly. He looked at it, at first without comprehending what I meant. But after a few moments of silence, his expression changed to a look of horror. "How about we leave?"

He nodded, suddenly cracking a smile, as well. "Yeah, I think that's a good idea."

When we finally made it out, I leaned onto his elbow to keep myself from falling over in laughter. He joined in, and after a few minutes, I was still grinning.

Somehow, despite the men after us, the Templars plotting something, and everything else that's been going on, I felt better than eve. And all without even drinking myself into a stupor. I looked up to Ezio, who kept an eye out, still chuckling, and I smiled to myself.

Life was good.


	22. Chapter 21

"Ezio, this is ridiculous," I gritted out, "How long will this go on for, I wonder?"

He looked down to the body that lay in the middle of our room, and bit his lip, shrugging. "The meeting is in a few hours, so hopefully the Spaniard will stop the attempts afterward."

I groaned, slamming back onto the bed. "Any more of this, and we'll become as paranoid as the Templars."

He snorted before asking, "Just help me carry him out."

It was lucky for us that we woke up around an hour earlier, when the sun hadn't even thought of peeking over the horizon yet and even the pigeons slept. Borgia's man found us when we were fully equipped and awake. Bad luck for him. He must have been suicidal to come here; even if we were asleep, considering Ezio woke up at the slightest disturbance in the Force, Borgia's lackey was a walking dead man. Or rather a _dead_ dead man, considering his corpse now currently littered our floor.

I sighed in a doomed fashion, and helped him pick the body up over his shoulder. "How are we going to do this?"

"Go ahead and distract anyone in the way, and we can go out the back door." I opened the door, making sure the coast was clear, and waved him forward. It was way too early for anyone to be up and about, but you could never be too careful of a potential weirdo in every building.

"I guess we'll have to find another place to stay at," I whispered sadly. "How did they find out where we lived?"

"I don't know. We'll figure something out," he replied as we made our way through the empty hallways, and down the stairs. Our footsteps echoed very quietly, not loud enough to alert anyone behind doors, the occasional candles barely lighting the halls.

We paused at the front, where the landlord and his wife lived. We half ran past the door, and I felt like we were in some creepy cartoon with a cheesy tiptoeing gag. Once all was clear, we finally made it outside, hurrying into the alleys and away from prying eyes.

It was still dark outside, though light began to creep around the edges of the sky, battling with the darkness on the other end. Or some other poetic crap like that. People began to crawl out of their holes - I mean houses. But they were still rare, barely paying attention to their own feet, much less to two people carrying a corpse and looking all suspicious. I liked the people here; there was nothing that would stir them, which bode well for us.

Hiding the body was easier than actually carrying it. In fact, Ezio just dumped it into one of the secluded gardens into the flowerbeds.

"Now he can become one with the Earth!" I proclaimed with the insanity of a preacher, and he snorted with laughter. "Rejoice, lost soul! Join with Mother Nature, and hope that you will come back as a beautiful flower, rather than an onion...cause that would really suck. "

"Oh, hush. No one is joining Mother Nature," Ezio chuckled, "Someone will find him and bury him properly."

"Aw, but my version is so much more beautiful! Who wouldn't want to decompose and become a weed in this beautiful garden, instead of a creepy graveyard, or whatever?"

"I'm sure everyone is just dreaming about it."

The streets were slowly filling up, despite the early hour. Regardless, no one seemed to notice the blood on us, so we walked towards the meeting in peace for a little, sniping back and forth at each other in good humor, as usual. Chatter filled up the air once again, and the remains of the night's silence disappeared quickly. The sun began to rise steadily over Venice, the last scraps of snow melting away and flowing down the streets, sinking into the cracks in between stones. The supposed winter ended as fast as it began.

"Do you ever buy them?" Ezio asked somewhat wearily as I snatched an apple off the stall. He noticed that I almost never paid for the fruits. I'd already noticed that he didn't like stealing from others unless he was convinced our need was greater than theirs. For a nobleman, it was a surprisingly unselfish standpoint. Then again, Ezio wasn't exactly your standard rich idiot…

I shrugged, biting into it when we were a safe distance away from the merchant. "I don't believe in prices. It's all so petty, you know? How can you put a price tag on a child's laughter, or a widow's tears, or the virtue of a nun..."

"Or you just didn't want to stop and get the money out," he concluded with a smirk, and I rolled my eyes.

"Well, yeah. But come on, I can at least pretend to have principles on this sort of thing. Besides, I'm the one who's going to be crawling over the roofs and dodging archers, while you get to be safe on the ground."

"Safe? Did you forget I would be tailing a whole flock of Templars? That's not exactly what I call safe!"

I snorted, "No worries. I'll try to make sure you don't walk head first into a trap, like last time."

"You went with me!"

"And I regretted it. You know, on second thought, the roofs don't seem so bad." We laughed, and continued on our way.

The plan was actually almost painfully simple. I, not yet blessed with his superhuman hearing, would follow him and the Templars over the rooftops, making sure that this wasn't just all Rodrigo's plan to finally capture and execute us - you could never tell with them any more. It wasn't like in the movies or crappy games, where the other side was a lot more stupid than you, which lead to the victory of good. Our enemy was more clever, experienced, powerful and resourceful than us. It didn't stop Ezio from killing them off, of course, but the point was that you could readily expect the worst from them.

"I still don't understand how they live with that smell," Ezio suddenly grumbled at random while we crossed over the Rialto Bridge. I sniffed the air automatically, but nothing seemed to be out of place.

"What are you talking about? Smells pretty normal."

He gasped dramatically. "You're one of them! What I mean is it smells like a gutter. And fish."

"Oh," I tried smelling it again, "I think that's the prostitutes lined up along the streets. You get used to it." I was joking. I had nothing against courtesans, but there _was_ a rather large number of them loitering on the bridge. Ezio laughed, only to suddenly stop in mid-step. Hearing his quiet groan, I turned around with surprise.

"Okay, don't look now, but I think we have company," he informed me sadly, and I blinked in surprise, looking around. He was right - a group of guards were stalking towards us, scaring away anyone who got in their way.

"You've got to be fucking kidding me!!!" I swore loudly, and I think in English, because Ezio looked confused for a moment. I didn't bother to repeat myself in Italian. I never felt the transitions, though. "Should we run?"

"Too late," he muttered, and smoothly pulled out his sword, which made its way under Borgia soldier's helmet before he even realized what was going on. There was a shriek in the crowd. And then the plaza emptied around us in a matter of milliseconds, civilians scattering in abject fear. I ground my teeth, but pulled out my own sword and dagger, just in time to block an incoming hit.

"When will it end?!" I wailed in mock desperation, jumping away from a guard's blade that would have sliced my stomach right open. I could almost hear Ezio's quick chuckle as he ducked under the sword, grabbed the man's wrist, and switched the direction of his opponent's swing. It was a lost cause for the guard, for Ezio forced him into a swing downwards, effectively making the man run himself right through. "We can't even walk down a soddin' street without getting attacked anymore! It's all your fault, Ezio!"

"What did I do?!" he yelled back. Borgia's men didn't seem to care much for our conversation, snarling and continuing to attempt to break our defenses.

"You ate the last apple in my bag, you jerk!"

"What?!"

"That's right! You ate my apple! I know all about it! I have photographic evidence, too! How could you, Ezio?!" I was nearly bursting with laughter as I took the blade of my attacker on my own, pushing it away, and kicking him in the one place proven to be most effective against men. As soon as he let out a shriek, I added another kick to his lowered face, causing him to fly backwards and hit the cobblestones with a satisfying crunch.

"Those jokes of yours are going to be the death of me one day, _tesorina,_" I heard him laugh. It was swiftly followed by the gurgled scream and then grunt of an agile guard as he drove both his hidden blades through his neck. The man was dead before he hit the ground.

"Oh, it's no joke. I wanted that apple," I replied gravely. "Now, on the count of three, we run."

"On three?" he asked loudly. The remaining soldiers glanced at each other with confusion, as if to ask "_They do know we're still here, right?_"

"Yep. One…go!" And with that, we took off, the surprise giving us a few moments to gain speed. After a few moments, we heard them yell to each other, cursing and chasing after us, once again.

We turned a sharp corner, Ezio making a path through the crowd for us, and I once again appreciated having such a broad-shouldered companion. It certainly helped us cut through the people like a knife through warm butter. The men chasing us had slightly more trouble, but still managed to keep up, even after many of our attempts to break their line of sight.

Finally, Ezio abruptly turned into a slightly less crowded street off one of the squares. His hold on my arm prevented us from separating, as if he was afraid to lose sight of me, though at the moment, it would have been a better strategy. Left with little choice in the matter, I obediently followed him around as he led Rodrigo's men on a wild goose chase. Eventually, we ducked into another garden (Venice had a lot of them) and hid around the corner, flawlessly blending in with the darkness.

"Damn it!" we heard finally them pass. Standing with my back against him, and the assassin leaning with his back against the wall, though he thankfully didn't hold a hand over my mouth, I held my breath. His comforting hand on my shoulder was reassuring as well. "Find the _puttana!_" they bellowed, "The Maestro will skin us alive if they get away again!"

I turned slightly, and Ezio matched my expression of confusion. Then I saw the barely visible motion of his shoulders, and he pointedly looked up at the wall. In our haste to get away from the pursuers, Ezio didn't lose track of our goal. We'd come very close to the Templar meeting.

I nodded, and scaled the wall ahead of him, climbing up fast, before anyone noticed.

---

"Where is Emilio?" The man grumbled in irritation. He seemed vaguely familiar to Ezio, though he couldn't quite place him. He was a State Inquisitor, judging from his red hood. And he did not seem in the best of moods, pacing back and forth in front of Carlo, who sat on the bench, nervously glancing around.

"I told him to be here," Grimaldi snapped.

"You told him yourself? In person?" The man did not seem to believe him. How they didn't know that Emilio was dead was beyond Ezio. Most of the market district were already celebrating his end and the change of power. Not to mention, the thieves becoming very cocky to the Templar run companies and banks.

"Yes! Myself! In person!" Carlo snapped. "I'm concerned that you don't trust me." He was not amused, to say the least.

"As am I," the Inquisitor looked around, as if expecting Emilio to pop up out of the nearest cart of flowers and shout "Peek-a-Boo!" Of course, nothing of the sort happened, and the man grumbled so lowly that Ezio had to strain his ears to the hardest to hear. "Perhaps he'll arrive with the others. Let's walk a while," he waved his hand. With a small hesitation, Carlo obeyed, though he looked cross while doing so. Ezio followed the pair, melting in with the crowd and focusing on them alone, tuning out all the other conversations. He knew that Eden was spotting him from above, and in case of trouble, she'd take care of it. One way or another, anyway.

Carlo was suspicious and twitchy, alarmed by Emilio's absence, and constantly looking behind them, as if feeling eyes on their backs. The Inquisitor seemed confident enough though, for he continued to question Grimaldi. "While we're waiting, you can bring me up to date on the things at the Doge's Palace."

The other man spread his hands, as if apologizing. "Well, to be honest with you, it's not easy. Mocenigo keeps his circle close. I have tried to lay the groundwork, making suggestions in the interest of our Cause, but of course I'm not the only one vying for his attention. And old though he is, he's a canny bugger."

It helped a little that the Doge was not an idiot, then. Ezio was glad to hear that, if nothing else.

"Then you must work harder, Grimaldi. You must become part of his inner circle."

"I am already one of his closest and most trusted associates. It has taken me years to establish myself. Years of patient planning, of waiting, of accepting humiliations." Carlo spoke as if he expected the other man to be impressed. Which, he wasn't.

"Yes, and what have you to show for it?"

"It's harder than I expected," Grimaldi grimly said after a short pause.

"And why is that?" The Inquisitor was openly mocking Carlo, sarcasm dripping off his words. _Not much trust and friendship within the Templar circle, then, _Ezio thought to himself. _Perhaps I may use that-_

"I don't know," Grimaldi retorted, "I do my utmost for the State, I work hard...But the fact is, Mocenigo doesn't like me."

"I wonder why not."

"It's not my fault! I keep trying to please the bastard! I find out what he craves and have it sent to him - the finest jams from Sardinia, the latest fashions from Milan-"

"Maybe the Doge just doesn't like sycophants."

"What did you just call me?!"

"A doormat. Flatterer. A boot-licker - need I go on?" Ezio found himself agreeing with this new man, to his own disgust.

Grimaldi was offended. "Don't insult me, _Inquisitore_. You haven't a clue what it's like. You don't understand the pressure-"

Between the Doge, the constant suspicion of everyone of conspiracy after news from Florence reached Venice, and the Templars...yes, the pressure would indeed be great. It was a wonder this man found time to eat and sleep. Or at least sleep with both eyes closed, Ezio thought. Not that he felt sorry for him, in the slightest.

"Oh, _I _don't understand _pressure_?" his tone was dangerously low. But Grimaldi, oblivious to it, plowed on.

"No! You have no idea! You may be a state official, Silvio, but I am two steps from the Doge almost every waking hour of the day." _At least not every sleeping hour, as well. That would just be creepy._Ezio, realizing what he was thinking, mentally cursed Eden. Hearing her laughter in his head so clearly that his gaze automatically darted around as if expecting her to be right next to him, he rolled his eyes, even as he fleetingly grinned.

"You wish you could be in my shoes, because you think you could do better, but-"

"Are you finished?" Silvio asked coolly, not bothered by the angry outburst in the slightest.

"No! Just listen! I am close to the man. I have dedicated my life to establishing myself in this position, and I tell you, I am convinced I can recruit Mocenigo to our Cause! I just need a little more times."

"It seems to me that you've had more than enough time, already-" Silvio broke off suddenly as they paused in the square before the Doge's Palace and the Basilica attached to it, and raised his hand. That attracted the attention of two more men, who made their way through the crowd towards them.

One of them was an elderly man, dressed very expensively and showing high standing, with a flowing white beard. His companion was most likely a bodyguard, considering that he was pretty much the biggest man that Ezio has ever seen, even without much armor on him. His face betrayed no emotion, but his eyes scanned the crowd, not paying any attention to the conversations between the Templars. Ezio suddenly needed to put more effort into being discrete while still remaining in earshot range.

"Good morning, Cousin," the old man greeted Silvio, not showing much thrill in meeting his kin. "Grimaldi."

"Greetings, Cousin Marco," Silvio seemed about as happy as him. However, he quickly glanced around. "Where's Emilio? We thought he'd be with you."

Marco seemed surprised. "Then you have not heard the news yet?"

"What news?"

"Emilio is dead!" Ezio finally recognized the man. He and Silvio were a part of the Barbarigo family, if you could call it that. None of the three cousins ever showed much familiarity to each other, Silvio jealous of Marco's higher standings, and Emilio... well, being Emilio.

The assassin glanced upwards, towards the roofs for only a moment. Eden's shadow flashed somewhere up there, or perhaps it was just a trick of light. With his intuition still firmly in place, he knew that she was up there, though.

"What?! How?!"

"I can guess," Grimaldi muttered bitterly, "The _Assassino_. I tried to warn him...but where can he be hiding? We must find him and kill him before he does any more damage! As well as his partner!"

"He and the girl could be anywhere," Marco shrugged. "That is why I take Dante here everywhere with me. I wouldn't feel safe without him."

Ezio heard the story of Marco's bodyguard, formerly the captain of the city guard. Something about surviving a wound to the head that should have been lethal, but just put him to a permanent state of a mindless child. But the man still remained dangerous, having retained all his skills in battle. A perfect guardian. Extremely dangerous, didn't require to be paid, and didn't ask questions.

"We must act fast, then," Silvio concluded. He did not seem at all sad at the loss of his cousin, though.

"You're right," Marco agreed easily as they began walking again in the general direction of Saint Mark's Square.

"But Marco, I am so close! I feel it! Just give me a few more days, and-" Grimaldi pleaded. Apparently, he put a lot of importance into his work, and did not want everything to go to hell.

"No, Carlo, you've had quite enough time. We no longer have the leisure for subtlety. If Mocenigo will not join us, we must remove him and replace him with one of our own. And we must do it this very week!"

The walked in silence for a few moments before Silvio asked, "Will the Master agree to our new strategy?"

"He'd be a fool not to."

"You're right, we have no choice," Silvio said acidly. Looking to Grimaldi, he suddenly cheered up. "Well," he snickered, "That kind of makes you redundant, now doesn't it?"

"That is for the Master to decide," Grimaldi retorted in disagreement, "Just as he will decide whom to place in Mocenigo's shoes - you, or your cousin Marco here. And the best person to advise him on that is me!"

"I wasn't aware that there was a decision to be made," Marco raised an eyebrow. "Surely the choice is obvious to all."

"I agree," Silvio said, but showing clearly that it was not what Marco had in mind. "The choice should fall on the person who organized the entire operation, the one who came up with the idea of how to save this city!"

"I would be the last undervalue tactical intelligence, my good Silvio. But in the end it is wisdom which one needs in order to rule. Do not think otherwise."

"Gentlemen, please," Grimaldi retorted. Nonetheless, he seemed pleased at the disagreement between the two cousins. "The Master may be able to advise the Committee of Forty-One when they meet to elect the new Doge, but he cannot sway them. And for all we know, the Master may be thinking of someone quite other than either of you..."

"You mean yourself?" Both Silvio and Marco, as well as Ezio, found the idea laughable.

"And why not? I'm the only one who's put in all the real graft!"

It was Dante who stepped into the argument when they stopped to argue in the middle of a secluded courtyard. "_Signori_, please, keep moving. I feel eyes on us."

"Of course," Marco nodded, and they hurriedly resumed their pace.

"He's a good man, your Dante," Silvio seemed to appreciate the quiet gorilla. "How much did you pay for him?"

"Less than he is worth," Marco replied, "He's loyal and trustworthy - saved my life on two occasions. But I wouldn't say he's exactly loquacious."

"Who needs a conversation from a bodyguard?"

"Anyway, I am sure the Maestro will come to the right decision."

"Of course he-"

"Stop your chattering," a cold voice joined the conversation.

Ezio recognized it right away, and his fists clenched by themselves. Rodrigo Borgia, wearing his usual dark robes with the hood pulled down over his face, appeared as if out of nowhere. And beside him...

That was the first time that Ezio saw the large mutant dog that Eden described, possible one of the pack that ripped apart a heavily armed squad of soldiers. It's short, rough hide was as black as night, its ugly head slightly squashed, the eyes glowing a dim, bloodthirsty red. The assassin shivered involuntarily, suddenly feeling a whole lot more nervous. It seemed as though it'd been bred through a few more changes, however. Eden said that when she saw them being paraded through Firenze, they were attempting to rip their chains out of the guards' hands, growling menacingly at the closest passerby. But this beast was standing alert beside its master, only moving when he moved, despite the lack of a leash. It didn't even make a sound, aside from its heavy steps, its eyes set dully in front of it. A mindless beast, under the complete control of Borgia.

Ezio was not the only one uncomfortable with its presence. Grimaldi grimaced nervously, and Marco's bodyguard took a small step closer towards his charge. Meanwhile, Rodrigo continued to talk with irritation. "No one has given you permission to make plans. This is _my_ decision, and it _will_ be carried out! The new Doge will be elected next week, following the death of Giovanni Mocenigo. The man is old, and his death will not rise suspicion. Marco Barbarigo will take his place." He paused for a breath, during in which Silvio tried to carefully hide his disappointment, Grimaldi clenched his teeth, and Marco's expression remained implacable, without any sort emotion at the news.

Only Dante and the dog didn't really care, continuing to stand guard. The irony of _that_ certainly wasn't lost on Ezio. He would've laughed to himself, if not for the fact that his attention was trained on that demon's beast at Borgia's heels. He found one hand instinctually coming to rest on his sword, his other silently flicking out his hidden blade, though it was concealed under his cape.

"Grimaldi. Walk with me," The Spaniard gestured, and they began to move once more. Ezio made sure there was considerable distance between them - Dante was bad enough, his eyes searching for any disturbance or threat. But the dog most likely had much more superior senses. "When are you closest to Mocenigo?" Borgia asked Grimaldi.

"I have the run of the Palazzo Ducale. Mocenigo may not like me much but I do have his full confidence, and I'm at his beck and call most of the time."

"Good. Poison him at the first opportunity."

"He has food testers," Grimaldi began to whine.

"And you think I don't know that? You Venetians are supposed to be good at poisoning. Get something into his meat or wine _after_ they've tasted it."

"Of-of course." There was only the slightest stutter in his voice, but he realized that there was no turning back now.

Rodrigo turned to Marco. "I take it you can lay your hands on a suitable product for our purpose?"

Marco smiled politely. "That is rather my cousin's area of expertise."

"I should be able to lay my hands on enough _cantarella_ for our purposes," Silvio put in. The name of the poison was not familiar to Ezio.

"And what is that?"

"A most effective form of arsenic, very difficult to trace."

"Excellent. See to it."

They walked in silence for a few moments. Then Marco spoke up once again. "I must say, Maestro, we admire that you should associate yourself personally so closely to this enterprise. Is that not dangerous for you?"

Borgia let out a low, grating chuckle of apparent amusement, though he quickly fell silent before growling, "The Assassin will not dare come after me. He is clever, but he will never outwit me. In any case, I feel inclined to involve myself more directly. The Pazzi disappointed us in Florence. I hope sincerely that the Barbarigo will not do the same..."

Silvio seemed amused by the reference to the Templar family of bankers. "The Pazzi were a bunch of amateur-"

"The Pazzi," Rodrigo interrupted, "were a potent and venerable family. And yet they were brought to their knees by one young Assassin. Do not underestimate this troublesome foe, or he will bring the Barbarigi down too." Ezio couldn't help but the grin at that. _Good,_ he snorted to himself, _Let them learn to fear me. I'm some pesky little child-_

"And what of the woman?"

"She is one of them, too, and perhaps something more. Capture her if you get the chance. One way or another, she could prove beneficial to us. Now go, and get this done. We cannot afford another failure!"

"And what will you do, Master?" Borgia picked that moment to look around, just as they were crossing over the Rialto Bridge. Ezio hurried out of sight.

"I return to Rome. Time is of the essence!" That was all Ezio heard, and when he looked in their direction again, there was no one but the usual crowds of Venezia, who quickly got over the shock of the monster dog.

"C_hé idiota sono!" _Ezio cursed under his breath, "Damn it, I should have kept my eyes on them!" In a moment, Eden lightly landed beside him, startling away some of the passing people.

"What's up?" she caught on to his grim expression.

"They're going to poison the Doge. Some sort of arsenic, _cantarella_. Any insight?" She seemed to think for a moment, chewing on her bottom lip, and then nodded.

"Yes, actually. Secret poison of some sort, though probably made of copper, arsenic and phosphorus. I don't know the exact chemistry behind it, I think the secret was lost. There's two variations of a similar poison, though."

"How do you know that?"

"Because I have it in my bag right now," she stated grimly. "Well, close to it. It's a toxin that puts the victim to sleep for around five hours, making it seem like they're dead. But that's when it's refined, at this point in history, the elements in chemistry are pretty crude, so..." He barely understood half of what she said about elements and chemistry, but listened closely, nonetheless. She seemed to be mentally calculating something. "Delayed effect, most likely lethal. Hard to detect, dissolves in water and wine. Wait! That's why the name Borgia was so familiar!" she suddenly exclaimed. A few people looked at them strangely. "_Cantarella_ was supposedly his specialty! But that means-"

"What?"

She licked her lips, suddenly uncertain. "I don't think - no, I can't say. It's not important, anyway. What else did they talk about?"

"He mentioned something about sending out a final attempt at our lives. But considering so far he failed, it's hardly worth mentioning. We should get to Antonio, maybe one of his men-"

"Is that smoke?" she interrupted him, looking away, and upwards. He followed her gaze, and realized she was right. Thick black smoke was pouring from somewhere in the depth of the district. And now that he was brought back to reality, he noted that the noise level had definitely increased. He didn't see how it was their problem at that moment, though, considering they had little time to act, and a Doge to save.

"Must be a fir-" he didn't finish the sentence, however, as Eden suddenly took off, pushing through the crowd, heading right towards the center of commotion. He stared after her for a moment, and then ran after her.

---

I came to a sudden stop in front of the building, pushing through the yelling crowd. Someone was screaming at someone else to get water. The chubby landlord and his wife stood not far off, gaping as the house burned, the bright flames standing out in the gray clouds, and sparks flew in every direction. The sign at my feet looked awfully familiar, and I realized this was the house that we stayed at.

"There's still someone in there!"

That's when I heard the scream come from one of the windows, where the frame has already fallen off. I recognized the voice.

_Adel._

Anger and fear began to hum and buzz in my brain, the sudden rush of adrenalin drumming against my nerves. I didn't think about what I was about to do. And I was ready to launch myself into the flaming doors, when someone stopped me, two strong arms wrapping around my waist.

"Eden, don't you dare!"

"Ezio, so help me god, if you don't let me go-" I yelled at him, and kicked at him, twisting out as best as I could.

"There's nothing you can do to help!"

"I'm not letting her die!!" And with that, I ripped myself out of his arms, wrapping my cloak tightly around myself and running through the flaming doorway. Intense heat greeted me, the fire almost welcoming, my vision obscured. But it was not the time to panic, especially as I ran through the hall, dodging the flames as best as I could.

---

Ezio was about to run after her, desperate to get her back out into safety, when her voice rang through his mind.

_"Don't do anything stupid._"

Apparently that only applied to him, because she continued to do stupid things like run right into a building that was of fire in search of a little girl. He stared after her as she disappeared in the fire, and clenched his jaw, his fists tightening.

He hasn't felt this desperate and helpless since he had to watch half his family executed.

---

I broke through the door, which easily dropped off its burnt hinges, and ran inside. There was less fire in here, the smoke gathering at the ceiling thickly.

"Adel!!!" I called loudly, trying not to choke. I heard a replying cry come from somewhere in the corner, next to an open window. I rushed over there, crouching down as I went. The girl looked up at me, frightened out of her mind, with tears of pain on her cheeks, and her blue eyes looking at me as if doubting I was real. She was mostly unharmed, except for a few angry burn marks on her skin. "Oh thank god," I muttered, snatching her up. She weighed next to nothing as she gripped my neck tightly, hiding her face in my shoulder. Hurrying to cover her with my cloak, I was about to run out the way I came, when I heard a low groan coming from nearby.

Time. Something I needed the most in this situation, and something that I had the least of. At a closer glance, I found Adel's father, who I never seen up to that point. A burning bookcase trapped him, and knocked him out. It would take me way too long to help him in his condition.

I also noted that he was lying in a position to suggest he was running to the door when he got squished. He wanted to just leave his daughter in the fire. Without much regret, I left him lying there, and ran out the door before my way could get blocked again.

The stairs had already collapsed in a flaming mass of timber, so I tightened my hold on Adel, and jumped down, landing a lot heavier than usual due to added weight. The hallway that led outside was straight, the doors wide open, but I couldn't see day light yet. I took a hasty breath, and began to run, gaining speed in a matter of moments. The fire continued to sing merrily, as excited and dangerous as a kid with sharp scissors, except _much_ more dangerous. The song jiggled in my ears with pressure.

_"Burn, burn, burn! Everything burn to the ground! Burn, burn, burn... Can't run, can't hide! Burn, burn, BURN!" _

I wasn't even sure when it was over. One moment, the door seemed so far away, unreachable with the flames roaring from all sides, and suddenly, it was already behind me. Someone caught me, and flung the flaming cloak off me. Fresh air was a breath of relief after the heavy smoke that tightened my lungs, suffocating me.

"Eden!" Ezio's voice came through a pillow. _Why are there pillows tied to my head, anyway?_ I groggily thought,_ What kind of stupid idea was that?_ But his voice got louder with every word. And with that, the yelling around me, the falling debris... "Everything is fine, let her go! Come one, Eden, focus!" I felt a warm, calloused hand first feel my forehead and then press to my cheek.

"Stop yelling," I finally breathed out. I realized that I was holding Adel way too tightly for her comfort. He gently took her away from me as soon as my hold loosened. Adel easily agreed to the new arrangement, wrapping her arms around his neck and pressing her cheek into his shoulder

When I was able to think clearly again, I made a mental check. All limbs still intact, my clothing burnt slightly, but most of the damage went to the cloak. I couldn't feel any burns on myself, but then again, it was probably because of the adrenaline. "Where's Aurora?" I realized that she was not in the building.

"I'm not sure, she's probably with a doctor, though. How are you?" Ezio nearly demanded, "Are you injured anywhere?"

The concern in his voice made me break into a weak smile. "I'm alright. Just disoriented. And in need of a new cloak."

The doctor's shop was not far away from the building, which was already almost extinguished with the joined efforts of the men that were close enough. Luckily, it didn't have the time to spread any farther, due to the fact that it stood alone. The doctor greeted us as we walked in, and it only took a quick explanation for him to order us to lay the girl down on a cot in the section of the shop behind a curtain reserved for examinations.

Ezio did the talking and explaining as I sat down beside Adel. The doctor examined her burns, gently probing at the red skin and shaking his head with understanding as Ezio continued. Apparently this wasn't his shop, as he was visiting relatives in town. Since the actual doctor was busy dealing with other guest of the inn, he'd offered his services.

Adel he was still awake, though her eyes were half closed. Looked up at me, still scared and surprised, I felt another painful tug. "Eden?" she muttered lowly, and I nodded, reassuringly running a hand through her hair. It was singed at the edges, but still intact.

"It'll be alright," I whispered, for the lack of anything better, even though I very weakly believed in my own words. I felt like I was trying to convince myself more than her. She tilted her chin slightly, in acceptance.

"Yes, _Signora_ Nevalle went into labor, and my wife is taking care of her in the other room, though her condition puts both her and the baby at risk," I heard the doctor explain to Ezio. "It might be a while before she's fully recovered from this, however."

"Damn it," Ezio cursed. I bit my lip.

This wasn't right. She was too young for this...too innocent. I felt like crying from helplessness. And all of it was our fault. The building was set on fire most likely because of Borgia's orders. He thought we'd be inside. And even if we weren't, it would give us a big enough distraction, so they could pull everything off. Unfortunately, it worked. My energy was drained with the adrenaline rush gone, and I wanted nothing more than to curl up into a ball, and cry like a little girl.

I stood up, crossing my arms. I didn't even realize Ezio was beside me. Without saying a word, he pulled me to him, draping an arm around my shoulder and hugging me tightly.

"I'm sorry I ran off like that," I whispered, "I just-"

"I get it. You did a good thing, Eden, don't regret it," he replied soothingly, and I felt him press his lips to the top of my head.

"I left her father to die in the fire. He was going to leave her behind, but he didn't deserve to be left there like that-"

"Shh," he interrupted the beginning of my rant. He pulled away, gripped my shoulders, and looked me in the eyes. "We can talk when everything has calmed down. But right now, I need you to focus. You saved one life, but we have another one that's on the line."

I took a deep calming breath. This wasn't like me to just break down. Not now, not when there was still work to be done. I needed to pull myself together, and make sure the ones responsible paid in kind.

"Let's go to Antonio," I said firmly. He stared back, and then nodded. I took a step away from him, cold determination replacing all uncertainty as I turned to the doctor. "Can we take her home for now?"

"Yes, she's in no danger. The burns are not severe, and I already applied ointment. She's still scared out of her mind, so be careful not to shock her anymore. She just needs rest," he confirmed. "What about her mother?"

"Keep her here, and keep her alive. When you're sure she's safe, have her come to the Palazzo della Seta, and tell _Signora_ Nevalle her daughter will be there, as well," I ordered, tossing him a healthy amount of florins from my money bag for his trouble. Ezio meanwhile, picked Adelaide into his arms again. She was already asleep when we walked back outside.

I walked closer to him than usual, my arms crossed tightly across my chest. "What are we going to do?"

"I don't know," he sighed, "We can leave her in the thieves' care for now, until her mother is back on her feet. There's nothing else we can do right now, but focus on saving the Doge before it's too late."

"Alright." He looked at me with sympathy. I didn't know how he knew what I was feeling at that moment, but I was glad he did. It was hard for me to watch this happen all over again. Once was enough for three lifetimes. And then with Ezio...

"What kind of idiot lights a fire in the middle of a city as tightly knit as Venice to get a few assassins distracted?" I asked, watching the gray swirls of smoke on the cloudy clouds. "If it had spread..."

"I'm surprised that it didn't. It seemed like it was lit from all sides at once, it's lucky that it wasn't attached to the other buildings, or this would have taken a lot longer to fix."

"It's also lucky that no one else was caught in it. I think we were the only occupants aside from Adel's family and the landlord himself.

"This creates a strange time paradox," I suddenly stated.

"How so?"

"Considering I'm not even supposed to be in this time, and I saved a girl that no one else was going to save. That means historically, she was not supposed to survive."

Ezio shifter his eyebrows together. "Or maybe you were supposed to save the girl. Maybe you were meant to be here to save her, even if you were born in a different century. We'll never know, but Adel is alive, no matter what happened. Let's just be happy with that fact."

"I don't know...Let's just... talk to Antonio, and figure this stuff out, I can't think properly," I rubbed my forehead. I was more exhausted than I realized, having woken up in the middle of the night, fought what now feels like a hundred assassins, ran away from them a lot, then followed him and a group of Templars over the roofs, killed an archer in the process, saved a little girl from a fire...

Yeah, it was an eventful day.

Rosa greeted us at the entrance of the palazzo, smirking at Ezio. However, she quickly took in the tiny girl in his arms and our grim expressions, raising her eyebrows in confusion.

"We need to talk to Antonio," Ezio said bluntly. He was probably pretty tired, himself. She nodded.

"Antonio!" I winced slightly at her very loud, commanding voice. I glanced up to see the man lean over the railing, and then come downstairs.

"Ezio, Eden - and who's this?" he noted Adel, and raised an eyebrow. As I explained, Antonio nodded along, his expression changing to one of concern and understanding.

"I don't suppose we can leave her here for now? We can't exactly take her around with us."

"Yes, of course!" He nodded to a few of the servants that remained in the palace, and they fluttered over the girl, cooing slightly. "Find her some clean clothes, and feed her when she wakes up. What did you say her family name was?"

"Nevalle, I think it was," Ezio informed him, and Antonio furrowed his eyebrows.

"Sounds vaguely familiar. But, were there any other reasons for this visit?" he asked, and I glanced at him with suspicion. He sounded almost as if he knew why we were here...

"Silvio, Marco Barbarigo, and Carlo Grimaldi are planning to poison the Doge and replace him with one of their own." Ezio was speaking so fast, I forced myself to concentrate. In reality, all I wanted to do was fall on the ground and go sleep right then and there.

"And they call me a criminal!" Antonio's expression became grave. "With their own man as Doge, they'll have the entire Venetian fleet and trade empire in their grasp!"

"We need your help," Ezio dropped the bomb.

"Of course! You have my word, and the support of all my men."

"And women," Rosa soundly reminded everyone present, causing the corner of my mouth to quirk up slightly in agreement.

"_Grazie, amici,_" Ezio replied.

Ezio seemed relieved, though I was not as optimistic. I got a good look at the ruler's palace while waiting for the Templars to move. From the very first glance, I could tell that the only way of getting it would be dropping from the sky, and as far as I know, humans didn't have wings. We were pretty awesome, but getting in alone would be beyond our capabilities

"But, this will take some planning," Antonio thoughtfully replied, "The Palazzo Ducale is the most heavily guarded building in Venezia. It makes the Palazzo della Seta look like and open park." Antonio seemed to be reading my mind.

"Nothing is impenetrable," Ezio smirked, and Rosa let out a soft laugh.

"And that's why we like you."

"Let's just have a look at it first, though. We might need another strategy."

"Then let's go," Antonio nodded, and ushered us out, me following. "I must say, though, treachery like this no longer surprises me. When I was a child, we were taught that the nobles were just and kind." I almost snorted at that. I knew well from experience that even gods became corrupted, causing even a child's fairy tale can have a gruesome end. "I believed it, too. And though my father was a cobbler, and my mother, a scullery-maid, I aspired to be much more. I studied hard, I persevered, but I could never make myself one of the ruling class. So - I ask you, who are the true nobles of Venice?"

"Trick question. Don't answer it," I whispered so lowly, only Ezio could hear. He glanced at me with amusement, and I smiled slightly. The shock of the fire was finally wearing off, though the joke was still feeble.

"Men like Grimaldi, or Marco and Silvio Barbarigo? No! We are! The thieves, and the mercenaries, and the whores! We keep this place going, and each one of us has more honor in his little finger than the whole pack of our so-called rulers!" I think Antonio was too deep in his truly inspiring monologue to notice I was biting my lip hard against a retort. There were so many ways I could contradict him, I was nearly bursting. But I actually liked the man, so I kept my mouth shut. "We love Venice, while others merely see it as a means of enriching themselves."

I half expected the people on the streets to stop their routines and applaud. But I guess he was right. It was in my time that you turned to crime if you wanted freedom, to prostitution, thieving, and being a hired gun because you had no other choice. We would never band together to seek the greater good, for we would not see beyond our own needs. This was a different era, and it was about time I got used to it.

Eventually, we made our way back to the Doge's palace, and stopped in front of it. It was less crowded here, most people scared away by the grim looking guards that patrolled every few meters. Both of the men crossed their arms, evaluating the building.

"Look at that," Antonio shook his head, "How do you propose we get in?"

"I guess the front gates are out?" Ezio asked, and the thief laughed.

"Alright, smartass, let's check that first."

"Eden, can you climb up, and see if there're any weak spots?" I nodded, looking at the wall sourly, and took it at a run, climbing up quickly. Ideally, I should have climbed the bell tower, which was significantly higher than the palace, allowing me a dollhouse view. But I didn't have the time or energy to climb that high. This would have to do...

The look from above was about as promising as from the ground. Archers were posted every inch of the roof, and a large metal fence was erected around the perimeter. The basilica attached to it was taller than the fence, but jumping from the dome would be like suicide. The Venetians really took guarding their Doge to heart - I could see absolutely no weak spots aside from the large hole in the middle. But as I stated previously, you'd have to be able to fly to get in there.

I saw both Ezio and Antonio coming back, having circled around the entire thing as I lightly climbed down. From their grim expressions, I could tell that they found no way in.

"If I had to guess, our chances are about one hundredth of a percent," I sighed.

"_Cazzo_! There's no way inside for people, just those damned birds," Antonio kicked at pigeon, startling it and causing it to flap its wings at him reproachfully. If we couldn't find a way inside, then the Doge would die soon. Of the Doge died...well, it wouldn't be pretty. And a whole lot more work for us to clean up.

"Wait..." Ezio furrowed his eyebrows. "That's it! Eden, let's go!" He pulled my arm away from palace, and confused, I let him.

"Where are you going?" Antonio seemed to understand as much of this as I did. That is to say, nothing.

"To see my good friend Leonardo!"

I allowed him to drag me through the first street, still thinking hard, but coming up with a blank. Finally, I resisted, wrenching him to a stop.

"Okay, spill. Why the hell are we going to Leonardo?!"

"The only way to get to the palace is from above!"

"And you think Leonardo has a parachutes and a plane to drop us off?"

"What are you talking about?…no, his flying machine, _idiota!_"

My eyes widened as I finally realized what he was getting at. Actually, I was surprised he had to spell it out for me. It'd been a long day...

"Ezio, you're a genius!"


	23. Chapter 22

**Author's Note- **There's a few things I want to say.

First of all, thanks to everyone who continues to review, you never fail to put a smile on my face.

Second, sorry for the slight delay.

And third, to those who don't know, I continuously post and receive fanart for this story. The links to everything are in my profile. Also, the dream at the end of the chapter was inspired by a wonderful image by Jael-Kolken over at deviantArt.

And, fourth- Enjoy :)

* * *

"Does it work?"

Leonardo looked up from his work with confusion as we burst into his workshop. I was slightly winded from the long run from the Doge's palace, but my enthusiasm caught up with Ezio's quickly. Even if the idea to use Leonardo's flying machine to get into a heavily guarded palace was one of the most suicidal plans I'd ever heard.

But then again, as we'd realized _so_ many times, suicidal plans were our specialty.

"Does what work?" Leonardo asked, expression aghast with confusion.

"The machine!" Ezio waved at the masterpiece hanging in the corner of the room. Leonardo didn't seem to understand why his voice was so loud and urgent, looking between us and the machine with bewilderment.

"I...I don't know…it's just an idea, really. It hasn't even been tested yet, Ezio."

"Well then, let's test it!"

Immediately, Leonardo shook his head, planting his hands on his hips. "Absolutely not! It's too dangerous! One would have to…jump off a tower to do that! Where can you find someone mad enough to do that?"

I grinned. If he thought that some mere technicality like eminent death would stop Ezio, oh, he was sorely mistaken. The assassin crossed his arms and smirked. I admired his guts, moxie, insanity, whatever you wanted to call it. If only for the suicidal streak we shared.

"Leonardo, I think you just found your madman."

I sighed quietly. "Ezio, you're insane, you know that?"

He glanced at me, his grin widening. "Why yes, _mia bella, _I do know that."

Leonardo was getting more excited by the moment, though. Smile widening and eyes flashing, he rubbed his hands together in anticipation. As strange and ahead of his time as he was, he would probably never ask anyone to jump off a tower for him. But when a willing volunteer came along, he didn't spend much time making sure Ezio was okay with it. I checked the clock - the Templars had almost three hours on us, but that was not enough time to get a decent poison off the streets. Especially with most of the thieves and outlaws on our side.

"_Va bene! _Where shall we do this, then?" Leo asked enthusiastically, already beginning to take the machine apart so it would be easier to transfer to a tower. I helped him out, having learned where the pieces attached during one of his earlier lectures. When hanging around the shop during my downtime, it was easy to get the artist talking, especially about his inventions.

Ezio thought about it for a moment. "There are guards on the roofs everywhere, and I doubt they'll let us do this..."

"The Thieves Guild doesn't have any guards around," I put in, "Antonio made sure of that."

"A little far from the Palazzo, but if this works, it won't matter...Alrighty, here we go..."

---

The sky looked gray, as if an ill omen to the coming events, the damp wind chilling me to my bones. The machine was quickly reconstructed with the help of a few thieves. A sort of runway was built for it as well, hanging over the district. And with every moment, I was getting more and more nervous. I suddenly couldn't remember just how well the testing worked out historically. Of course, I certainly wasn't going to tell Ezio that. This was his only chance of getting into the palace, after all. It was too late for second thoughts.

I vainly tried to warm my hands up with my breath, frantically rubbing them together. Ezio, bless him, quickly moved behind me, draping his cape around my shoulders, and I gave him grateful nod and smile. He wanted to help assemble the machine as well, but Leonardo quickly shooed him away. He wouldn't let me help out, either, though he allowed me to hold it up for him until it felt like my fingers were only remaining attached to my hands because they were in one big block of ice.

"It's ready," Leonardo finally stated after an hour of double and triple checking that everything was properly installed.

"Tell me again how this thing works?" Ezio sniffed. He seemed to be getting slightly nervous about it, as well.

"Have you ever watched a bird in flight? As I told Eden, it's not about being lighter than air, it's about grace and balance! You must simply use your body weight to control your elevation and direction, and the wings will carry you."

I let the machine down carefully, and hid my hands under my armpits. The palace was partially concealed by the fog and distance. But red flickers of guards' torches could still be seen. I tried to use the houses below to calculate the distance, only to quickly come to the sad conclusion that it was just too far away.

I bit my lip, moving closer to Ezio. "I don't think you can make it to the palace," I spoke lowly, so only he could hear me. He raised an eyebrow.

"Why not?"

"It's...well, it doesn't have the build to fly for too long. I could be wrong, of course. But..."

"We're running out of time, and we won't know until we try," he replied soothingly.

"Just...be ready for a crash landing, alright? You can't save anyone if you're a pancake," I reached up to pat his head, more for my reassurance that to mock him.

"Well, _buena fortuna_, Ezio," Leonardo cut in, reminding us that time was of the essence. "You are about to hopefully make history. Go with God."

"What he said," I shakily smiled. "Don't die, m'kay?"

"I'll try my best," he seemed to swallow hard. Throwing a glance at the Doge's palace, he climbed into the machine.

I helped Leonardo strap the safety belts around him once he climbed under the wings. I didn't like the idea too much - it would keep him inside the machine well enough. But if it crashed, or began to sink in one of the canals, then he'd go down with it. Ezio did not complain about anything, trusting Leonardo's intelligence and designs. But he still held onto the controlling board for his dear life, careful to maintain the position.

Even with the worry, I couldn't help but feel excited. Never, in my entire life, did I dream I'd ever see the original da'Vinci flying machine in flight (or fall). Leonardo told me most of the theories behind it better than his preserved notes and various school teachers could. And as we all knew, Leo's enthusiasm was contagious. So the more he told me, the more I wanted to see it work.

And it did! Ezio heaved the machine, and pushed off the runway with a lot of force, making the wood of the improvised runway creak loudly. But the air picked up the wings. Instead of plummeting to the ground, Ezio glided forward.

"It worked! It _worked!!!_" Any more and Leonardo would begin to jump up and down like a thirteen-year-old girl when the newest Twilight movie hit the theaters. I joined in the general insanity, laughing along with him, though my humor diminished slightly. For as both of us expected, Ezio began to lose height, slowly gliding lower and lower. I think I heard his loud swearing, as well...

---

"You flew Ezio! _You really flew!!_"

Leonardo flapped his arms adorably, but Ezio was not amused. I was laughing quietly at his disgruntled and irritated expression. Despite the situation, once I made sure Ezio was alright, I couldn't help but stifle giggles and snorts, something that made him even more annoyed.

"Yep, our Eagle of Florence became an actual flying eagle," I mischievously grinned. "Italy will remember this day for the next five minutes, and then think 'What the hell was he smoking?' only to forget about it."

"I didn't fly far!" he grumbled, ignoring my comment.

"Well, what did you expect? The machine was not designed for distance!" Leonardo seemed to be a little put out with the negative response, but remained as excited as ever. "Alright, let me look over the plans, maybe I can find a way to extend the duration of the flight..."

Antonio suddenly burst through the door, looking frantic. "Ezio! My spies tell me that Silvio has obtained the poison and handed it over to Grimaldi!"

All humor went out the window immediately.

"Antonio, meet Leonardo, the inventor that created this piece of..." Ezio kicked the machine as he paced. I was about to protest, but I was interrupted by the inventor himself, who pushed away from the table, nearly shouting in an unusual flare of temper.

"It's no good! I don't know how to extend the flight! Stupid fucking idea!" He swept the papers into the fireplace, falling into the armchair opposite of it. All three of us glanced between each other with confusion. Then he suddenly jumped up again, and all of us flinched slightly. "My God! Eurika! Of course! Genius!"

"What is he doing now?" Antonio asked with even more bewilderment, unused to dealing with Leonardo. I narrowed my eyes and waved at him to be quiet, listening to Leo muttering under his breath.

"Heat rises…how did I not see it before?"

"Eden, could you translate?" Ezio turned to me as my eyes widened in amazement.

"Heat! Hot air goes up, and it can probably-"

"If we light a fire under the machine-"

"Then it can lift it up-"

"_Dio mio_, there's two of them," Ezio sighed in a doomed fashion as Leonardo continued to expand on the idea, and I eagerly picked it up.

"What is one fire going to do?" Antonio was clearly not in a very optimistic mood at the moment.

"Not just one! Many fires, all throughout the city! They can carry you to the palazzo!" Leonardo explained quickly, drawing small circles on a map of Venice, creating a path. Antonio looked over his shoulder, and finally nodded in understanding.

"What about the guards?" Ezio asked, and I raised an eyebrow. "Okay, obvious question. Then let's get on it! Antonio, can your thieves build the fires as I get rid of the guards?"

"Of course, though most of them will be busy elsewhere. My spies tell me that there was a curious shipment of colored powder in little tubes that just arrived from China. God knows what it is, but it must be valuable, they're taking such good care of it."

"Fireworks," Leonardo threw over his shoulder.

"What?"

"I'll explain later," I put in. "For now, let's just get everything set up. I'll help fix the machine up a bit since you broke some of the left wing, and you won't fly very far with it broken. Wait!" I caught Antonio's sleeve as he began to leave, "Those fireworks, do you know where they're kept?"

"Yes, they are still on the ship."

"If you can, get your hands on a few of them. If we time everything right, they can make a distraction for the entire city!"

"Do you know how they work?"

"Yes!"

"It's a plan, then!"

---

That night the city was sunk into a frenzy. The thieves ran over the rooftops like a stampede of wild horses, building the bonfires and ready to light them as soon as sun rolled back into its cradle. Ezio's sleeves were stained with blood again when he made his way back up the familiar tower, where Antonio watched curiously as Eden helped Leonardo finish the last touches. Unlike the first time, the artist didn't complain about her helping him, as they needed to get everything done quickly.

"And there, it's ready," Leo stated. "Antonio, are you ready to give the signal to your men?"

"Absolutely."

Eden took a step away from the machine, having just finished replacing a piece of frame work. Then she looked up at Ezio, smiling as Leonardo was having an urgent conversation with Antonio. "Yep, as ready as it will ever be." Her brow was furrowed with worry however, and she suddenly reached up to hug him. He accepted the embrace almost too enthusiastically. "Don't you dare die, you hear?"

"A bit more confidence would be nice," he reminded her. For a moment, he forgot that there was a Doge that needed saving, and even that Antonio and Leonardo were a few steps away. He didn't want to let her go.

He felt her chuckle. "I'll set off the fireworks when you get near the palace. Just give me five minutes to get in position, and go. I'll meet you at the Seta when you get out." She finally stepped out of his arms just as Antonio coughed, reminding both of them that there were still rather important things to be done. Ezio hurried to take his eyes off her, realizing that he was staring. She saluted, picked up the satchel with the fireworks, and speedily climbed down the tower. Then she gracefully jumped down to the rooftops, breaking into a run towards the Ducal Palace.

"There are archers out on the roofs tonight, Ezio," Antonio warned as soon as she was off, "Avoid those arrows, or this will be a short flight!"

"I just wish I could use my sword while flying this thing," he waved before climbing into the machine once again, mentally counting off the five minutes until he set off.

"Well, you still have your feet free," Leonardo mused, tightening the straps, "If you manage to get close enough without getting an arrow through the skull, you can kick them off the building."

"I'll keep that in mind," Ezio smirked.

As the sun completely disappeared, sinking Venice into the night, the time given to Eden ran out, and Antonio threw a bright white handkerchief off the tower. One by one, they watched as the bonfires were lit up. Creating a clear path above the city, they led to the barely visible silhouette of the palace, his target.

Ezio kicked off the building, as he did last time. This time, he was ready for jerk, and then the heavy dip of the machine, which held along the air. Leonardo did a brilliant job on the invention - it found the airstream as easily as a bird would, making him glide through the air.

But, unfortunately, others noticed the flight as well. Oh course he knew better than to hope that the roof archers were stupid enough to mistake him for a giant bird. But it still became an unpleasant shock to his determination when he heard them yell to each other in fright.

"What the-! Shoot!!! _Shoot the flying demon!!!_" The situation would almost be comical if they didn't mean business. As he made his way from one fire to the next, smaller flames filled the air like on a _Carnivale_ night as the flaming arrows shot everywhere. He swiftly changed his weight and direction, dodging them. Leonardo explained once that he made sure the machine was a bit more resistant to fire, just in case. But a few of them would still send him plummeting to the ground.

Leonardo's theory worked wonderfully. As he began to lose height when he approached the next bonfire, the warm air picked him back into the sky. After a minute of dodging arrows, the controls became more familiar, and he was even beginning to enjoy the feeling, the adrenaline pulsing through his veins.

However, as soon as Ezio neared his destination, the archers around the roofs opened continuous fire, making it extremely hard to avoid them. A few thudded into the wooden frame of the machine, and it caught fire. He was loosing altitude.

Suddenly, the night became as bright as day as something cracked, flew into the air, and exploded into a thousand sparks with a loud sound not unlike Eden's gun. The arrows ceased as many people looked up in alarm, staring with shock at the fireworks.

Ezio wanted to look as well, but quickly realized that he did not have the luxury. He was very close to the roof of the palace now, though he couldn't even hope for a soft landing anymore. Letting go of the controls, he wrenched himself free of the belts and buckles that kept him inside, pushing away from the frame and rolling over on the rough roof of Palazzo Ducale. Once the world stopped spinning, he realized Leonardo's masterpiece continued on without him. Skidding and screeching on its way, it knocked a few guards off the roof, once again became airborne when it reached the end of the line, and then fell out of sight. He then heard a loud splash.

_Sorry, Leonardo,_ he winced as he imagined what became of the machine. The fireworks fell to the ground, the sparks disappearing into thin air before they could reach the roofs.

"What was that?" The Doge's voice echoed in the courtyard. Creeping towards the edge of the roof, Ezio scanned the walls with his eyes, looking for the source. Mocenigo was sticking out of the second story window, not far from below Ezio, looking around wildly. And he wasn't the only one - the many guards that patrolled the inside of the palace were frantically looking around and up to the roof, trying to figure out what in the devil just happened.

Grimaldi appeared beside the Doge. From what Ezio could see, he was twitchy, nervous, and jumpy, just like the last occasion that he saw him. "Probably just kids, with firecrackers. Come, let's finish the game." Ezio realized that he had maybe two minutes to get to the window and stop the assassination before it was too late. He barely waited for the guards to get back to their patrols, and launched himself down to the balconies, acrobatically jumping around the perimeter of the courtyard. Time was running out, and he could hear the heavy ticking as if he was climbing inside a clock tower. He remembered what Eden told him the day before - _Cantarella_ would have a delayed, but lethal effect. He may have already been too late...

"No! Don't drink it!" he gasped out, tumbling through the wide open window of the room, making both men freeze, and look around to him wildly. Ezio realized with a shock that the wine in the Doge's cup, which was still in his hand and near his mouth, was already half finished.

"You're too late, Assassin," Grimaldi stood up abruptly, "The Doge is dead." Mocenigo didn't seem to understand, looking back and forth between the two men, when suddenly, the cup dropped from his hand, the remaining poison spilling all over the expensive carpet. His hand flew to his throat, his gasp labored and ragged, as if his breath stuck in the windpipe. The Templar looked at him with a hint of regret as he tipped over the King on the chess board. "You should have listened to me."

Ezio sprang up as the Doge began to fall to the floor. He yanked Grimaldi by his collar, right before he could leave the room and holler for guards. He coldly decided that his death would make up at least in part for failure to save Mocenigo.

He heard yelling from the door which Grimaldi left open, and realized he had only moments before the guards would come to figure out what was happening. Dropping the corpse down onto the floor, he muttered a fast prayer. As he snatched the wallet off the now former Templar, the Doge pointed an accusing finger in their general direction.

"You - killed me - _You!_"

Ezio glanced at him with sorrow. "I'm sorry. I tried to stop him," was all he said; he didn't have any time to linger. As the guards poured in through the door, he jumped out of the window and back up to the roof. From there, it was only a leap away from the roofs, and his escape.

---

_~I had to tell parents that their children were dead before. When you're in a gang, people come and go, and more times than not, into the ground. It was always hard to watch them stare at me like it was some sort of sick joke until they realized that I was not kidding. And then when they broke down into tears, begging me to tell them that I was lying, that it was not true. _

_"Hello." The woman looked at me with curious, haunted eyes. I licked my lips nervously, resisting the urge to turn around and let the police handle it. "Are you looking for George? He's not home."_

_"I know."_

_"I'm sorry?" she didn't seem to understand my grave expression, or my sad tone. "Listen, can you leave your phone number or something? He can call you when he get's home."_

_"He's won't come home."_

_"What? Is that a threat?"_

_"No. It's a fact." _

_It took her a minute to fully realize my words. It took another for her husband to come see what was going on. And five more for them to believe me. Another one for me to say that I was sorry, and leave._

_I was not sorry. At least, not for the dead. Did I feel sorry for the drunk of a father, or the beaten mother that was afraid of saying a word against him? Did I feel sorry for the boy that thought he could make it right by selling drugs and shooting others?_

_No. You get tired of feeling sorry for them. You get tired of seeing the exact same story repeat itself over and over. _

_I did feel sorry for the innocent little girl that saw it all happen, though. Who now wouldn't talk to even her own mother, staring in front of herself, her eyes huge and terrified hours after the event. People like me were already stained in blood head to toe. But she was not even familiar with the concept of hurting others until that day. _

_None of it was fair.~_

---

A few servant girls were knocking on Adel's door loudly, one carrying a tray of food. I raised both eyebrows in surprise as I came closer.

"What's going on?" I asked Luca, one of the thieves that was left behind to hold down the fort. He looked at me, and scratched the back of his head wearily.

"The girl locked herself inside. They've been trying to feed her for the entire day, but she won't come out."

"So just pick the lock."

"I tried," he confessed, "But I think she managed to barricade the door, or jammed it somehow."

"Let me try." I gently pushed one of the servants away from the door, and leaned closely to it. I couldn't hear her inside. "Adel! It's me, Eden. Can you please open the door?" I waited for a moment, but nothing happened. "Please? Antonio will be angry if we have to break down the door."

Slowly, I heard shuffling on the other side, and the sound of something being dragged away from the door. It opened, though just a crack to reveal the little girl. There was still soot on her, the ends of her hair burnt, and she wore the slightly torn dress from before. She looked up at me with red eyes, her little mouth pursed. I slipped in, taking the tray of food away from one of the girls, telling them I'd handle it.

"Don't you want to eat?" I asked, but she shook her head. Once I was in, she went back to what I assumed was her original position - sitting at the foot of the bed, hugging her knees to her chest, and rocking back and forth. I set the tray down onto the bed, and came to crouch by her. "Adel..."

"I know…" she sobbed, interrupting me. I was taken aback.

"What do you know?"

"That mom is…" tears streamed down her cheeks again.

"Who told you that?"

"No one..." she was speaking so quietly I had to lean in to hear. "It's like a feeling…like falling…and then..."

They say that little children were more perceptive. Now, I could see why.

I didn't know what to say, so I just picked her up, hugging her close to my body, and sat down on one of the armchairs. She hid her face in my shoulder, her small frame trembling as she continued to cry, my silence only confirming her feelings. I ran a soothing hand through her hair, and looked out the window, over the houses and streets, where the palace could be seen.

It was a painful blow. Three innocent lives lost and another ruined. And all because of us.

---

Palazzo della Seta greeted him with grave silence. He wasn't surprised to find out that the entire city had heard of the Doge's murder within minutes. Rosa greeted him with a sympathetic pat on the shoulder, though Antonio was nowhere in sight. And neither was Eden.

"She's upstairs with the girl you brought in," Rosa told him quietly, somehow knowing who he wanted to see, "Second door from the stairs. But go see Antonio first, he's in his office." He nodded in thanks and headed up the white stairs, their marble shining in the darkness.

Antonio was not happy with the turn of events, but he didn't blame Ezio for the loss of the Doge. He was at least glad to hear that Grimaldi was taken care off.

Looking for Eden was easy enough once he focused. After the many months, he could attune to her easily, his intuition leading the way, even in complete darkness. Finding the door to the bedroom and about to open it, he suddenly heard quiet humming. Shifting his eyebrows together, he cracked open the door silently, and looked inside.

Eden was sitting in one of the armchairs, Adel cuddled up on her lap, her face hidden in the woman's shoulder. Singing softly, foreign words tying in with the notes, Eden's voice was far from the beautiful melodic wind chimes that some girls had. But it was quiet and familiar, the words gliding over his senses like a peaceful stream.

She looked up to meet his eyes, but her singing did not falter. The flickering candle light reflected off her face, deep sorrow in her eyes. Her voice became even more quiet, and finally, slipped into silence. She stood up carefully, and Ezio realized that Adel was asleep. Then she lowered her onto the bed beside them, bringing the covers up and running a hand through the golden locks of hair.

"Is-?" he began, but stopped when she put her finger to her lips, coming closer to him.

"Come on," she whispered, moving out of the room.

---

I'm not sure how we ended up sitting on the floor of the kitchens. With a nearly empty bottle of wine next to us, me sitting between his legs, my back against his chest, and his arms wound around my waist. We didn't talk for a long time, simply taking comfort in each others embrace. And of course, the alcohol.

"Aurora is dead," I finally whispered.

"What?"

"I saw her two hours ago. She had some condition that made birth hard for her. She barely survived Adel. It was risky for her to ever go through that again, she was too fragile. But her husband wanted a boy, even knowing about her illness. I guess I don't feel so bad for leaving him in that fire anymore."

I felt him hum. "The fire wasn't our fault, you know."

I turned my head slightly to look at him. "What do you mean?"

"Antonio's men checked the place out while we were busy with the preparations for saving the Doge. It was lit from all sides, definitely not by natural causes, but it wasn't because of us. Apparently Vincent Nevalle was involved in something that went over his head. He owed someone a lot of money, and when he refused to pay, he brought his family to Italy. I guess they found him even here. If you didn't save Adel, he'd be responsible for her death as much as his own."

The words brought little comfort, though, even if they soothed my conscience. "Wait, they burned down an entire building for some money?"

"Are you really asking me that question?"

I sighed. "I'm surprised to see that things are just as barbaric now as they are in the future. They weren't Templars by any chance?"

"I'm not sure. Why?"

"I'm scared of what would happen if Adel found out who was the reason behind her burns."

"You think she'll try to avenge her father? After the way he treated her?"

"You never know," I shrugged. "What will we do? She doesn't have anyone anymore. Maybe some relatives in France or something, though I somehow doubt it."

"She can stay here..."

"And become a thief or a whore?" I snapped, only to immediately apologize. "I'm sorry, it was a long day."

"Tell me about it..."

We sat in silence for a little longer.

"What were you singing?" he suddenly whispered.

"Just a song I know...I just couldn't help it. I can't sing very well, I suppose. At least not as well as I could when I was thirteen."

"What happened?"

"My initiation. There are always those sadistic bastards that will take advantage of me not fighting back, even though I was very tempted to." I paused, closed my eyes, and then turned my head slightly, leaning my cheek on his collarbone. "I'm sorry you didn't make it in time to save the Doge."

"As am I, trust me."

"We can still salvage the situation though, right?"

"I don't know. Marco will be very cautious when he's Doge. It'll be even harder to get to him, as he fully expects me to."

"We'll think of something."

"We always do. By the way, I found something you might like to see." He suddenly shifted, lifting his arm off my waist and putting a scroll into my hands.

"You found another codex?" I unrolled it carefully, curious. And then my mouth just about fell open. I didn't understand any of the writing, of course. Even after Leonardo tried to explain his theory about the code, it just became way too confusing. But the sketches were plain as day.

"Look familiar?"

"That's - that's a pistol! Those things weren't around for like, another century!" I brought it closer to my eyes, examining the intricate work. "Altair was alive during the Crusades though. How is this possible?"

"I don't know. Do you think Leonardo can make one?"

"Leo is out of town," I said suddenly, looking back at him. He furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. "He left as soon as he was finished admiring your flying. I think he said he was going to Milan."

"_cazzo!_...Do you think you can make one, then?"

I shook my head. "No. Without decoding the instructions, I'm afraid I can only waste metal. But, hey, when Leonardo comes back, maybe I can give him the bullets I have, and he can figure out how to make them."

"You're throwing caution out the window?" he mused.

"Well, it looks like he's ahead of time anyway, so what the hell? I trust him enough." I glanced back to the codex. "He'll be back in about a week or two. And I also heard that Carnival season starts soon, too. That should give you a decent cover, considering you're the most wanted man in Venice at the moment. Everyone thinks you were the one to poison Mocenigo."

"It doesn't matter," he sighed, "Whether or not people realize it was Grimaldi I was trying to stop. At the very least there's one less Templar in the world."

"Amen to that." I took another drink from the bottle, and licked my lips. "So then, what should we do until Leonardo is back?"

"Do you have any ideas?" he smirked, voice low and suggestive. That was meant to be a suggestive question, but I replied with an innocent joke.

"We can watch paint dry. I hear it's fun."

He laughed out loud, and the sound made me smile as well. At that moment, everything felt normal, like it did on those idle nights in Monteriggioni. There was nowhere to rush to anymore - we didn't know how long it would be before Marco Barbarigo was elected as the new Doge. Until we figured out a way to kill him, there was nothing else to do but try to gather our thoughts together.

"We never did get your Eagle Vision out, did we?" he muttered thoughtfully.

"Are you proposing we get back to that? It doesn't work, Ezio. I just can't channel it the way you do. Heightened senses are useless if I can't focus them."

"We have nothing better to do until Leonardo comes back to Venice. What's the harm?"

"Me straining my eyeballs seems pretty harmful. But fine, we'll do it your way." I twisted around to face him, kneeling in front of him, "But not today, 'kay? We both haven't slept for the past two days, so let's just call it a night."

"I'm not tired though," he stubbornly said, even as he yawned widely. I giggled lightly at how childish he looked, and he narrowed his eyes, glaring at me. "You know, I wouldn't laugh if I were you."

"And why is that?" I tensed on the inside slightly, ready to spring up. He seemed to do the same.

"Why! Because..." The next moment he tried to get a hold of me, but I jumped to my feet just in time, laughing quietly and running for the door. I heard him follow behind me, falling into the familiar game of tag. Pausing slightly at the corner of the staircase, I ducked under his arm, jumping the next flight of stairs and landing lightly on my feet. Someone looked out their door to find out what was happening, but seeing it was just the resident assassins behaving like children, he disappeared again.

Ezio finally tackled me when I was near the bedroom that Antonio oh-so-graciously gave to me for the time being, and swept my legs from under me. I instinctively threw my hands around his neck, and kicked the air. "Put me down!" I whined. But he just grinned, and carried me into my room, bridal-style. Except brides probably didn't generally kick and try to wriggle free, unless, of course, it was an arranged marriage to an old pervert. Then it was a given.

"Or we could get straight to practice, while it's still dark," he said as he deposited me down onto the bed.

"No! Somebody save me from the insane rapist!!" I half-yelled dramatically, flailing my arms in the air. He hurried to put his hand on my mouth, but I pulled away from it, and continued to wail. "I'm too young to die! Somebody! Please, help me!"

"Careful, or someone will take you seriously," he laughed, and I immediately stopped screaming.

"Oh, but this is serious business," I said gravely. He chuckled again and got up from the bed, turning to leave. But I stopped him. "Wa-a-ait a moment. Where do you think you're going?"

"To sleep?" he raised an eyebrow at me over his shoulder. I swallowed hard, suddenly realizing I did not want to be left alone with my thoughts. He seemed to catch my expression, because he turned around with a sigh and sat back down. "Or I can stay here for a bit."

"Well, if you must," I whispered, curling up beside him. After a moment, I felt him lie down next to me, and run a hand through my hair gently. I found myself leaning into the familiar touch.

The treacherous part of my mind had taken permanent residence inside me, and I no longer denied it. I knew what those god-damned butterflies meant. No, not that it was time to buy a butterfly net. It was something I hadn't felt since I was with Alex. And that's what kept me in denial, really. I could at least be honest with myself, if not with him.

I was falling for him.

It was an admittedly pleasant realization, even better than the Leap of Faith. But I couldn't shake the foreboding feeling that I was about to hit the ground at full, disastrous speed. It kept dancing along the edges of my mind, no matter how hard I tried to banish it. But that could all wait until later. Right now....right now I could at least enjoy the fall.

I felt him lean down and place a kiss on my temple, causing my insides to churn with a warm rush of pleasure. Did he know that I was still awake? Or was I? Maybe it was just a dream...a very..._very..._ strange...dream...

---

~_The sun had long since settled behind the horizon, the stars coloring the sky, the full moon hanging over their heads like a lantern. The entire city of Firenze appeared as though it was laid out of the palm of his hand. His home, his world._

_His life._

_"It is a good life we lead, brother," Federico thoughtfully said, seeming to be thinking along the same lines. Ezio chuckled. There were always these times when their minds worked in sync._

_"The best," he clasped his brother's hand in own, his smile dazzling in the moonlight, "May it never change!" _

_"And may it never change us!" Federico echoed._

_Feathers….there were feathers falling from the sky. White like snow, weightlessly spinning in the air..._

_"Are you going to tell me why you want them, now?"_

_"I will," Petruccio replied with a secretive but gleeful sort of smile. __Sounding__ so confident, as if he knew something his brother didn't, "In time."_

_Time? He used to think that the world would wait, that he had forever...__why__ worry about tomorrow when today wasn't yet over? He never thought that his time was running out. He never __dreamed__ that he would be too late to save them._~

He opened his eyes suddenly, and stared around him for a moment, as if expecting to find himself dozing off on the same tower, with his older brother sitting beside him. But he found a dark room, and Eden sleeping peacefully on his chest. The sense of loss, like so many times before, washed over him. Biting his lip to stop himself from groaning like a wounded animal, he let out a long, tired sigh. Months...months where the feeling was soothed by fighting and killing. But the pain still came to him in sharp nudges whenever he thought of his father...his brothers...his family.

Eden shifted in her sleep, and her hand suddenly found his, her thin fingers wrapping around it. He glanced at her with amazement. It never ceased to amaze him how well her instincts were attuned, even while she slept. Despite the deepest slumber, she always sensed danger, a new presence, or even someone's gaze. He smiled softly. If they could just figure out how she could retain that intuition while awake, she'd have no problems with Eagle Vision. But the sad thing about being conscious was that you thought. And thoughts did not bode well with intuition. When his father taught him, it came easily; he was fairly young, and believing in such things was almost a given. But Eden was an adult woman, and logic had taken over.

_Logic._ Was there any way to shut it off, if only for a few moments? Well, there was, of course _one_ way... and it wasn't as though he was entirely against it, either, per say...

She'd just probably _kill _him for even suggesting it.

He looked up to the opposite wall, thinking. Things had calmed down and there was no rush anymore, so he could actually pause for a moment and think about what he was going to do. Leonardo would be back hopefully the next week, when the _Carnivale_ began. He didn't want to trespass on Antonio's hospitality any longer than he had to, but he had no other place where he could lay low. The _Carnivale_ itself would provide cover, if he could just find a mask, allowing him the freedom to find the Barbarigo.

Ezio moved his hand to rest on Eden's waist, subconsciously pulling her even closer to him.


	24. Chapter 23

The next day after the Doge's death, at sunset, we had a funeral for Aurora and her baby. Adel stubbornly declared that her mother didn't want to be buried, but burned, as she believed it to be a much more beautiful tradition than the alternative. And so we complied. It was ironic that she wanted a funeral like that for her mother when she almost died herself in a fire. But none of us questioned her decision.

We laid Aurora out on a gondola in the Thieves Guild district as the sun began to set. Even after labor and in death, she still looked like a pale angel, her hair shining in the last rays of the sun, her features so relaxed you would have thought she was just sleeping. Ezio, Adel and me stood at the banks. Not a word passed between us, the silence heavy with grief. Adel hugged my waist, sniffing quietly. She didn't cry anymore, having cried all the tears she could during the night and day. She simply looked upon her mother's face one last time.

Ezio bowed his head, and read a long prayer in Latin, his voice quiet and blending with the calm waves of the water. Soon, we watched as the boat began to float away, flames and sparks rising into the air beautifully, coloring the waters and houses with a warm glow. Stars were already visible on one side of the horizon, the heavens clear of any gray clouds, the moon beginning to shine through the dusk.

The skies didn't weep for the dead woman and her children. And no one even remembered the man who was responsible for it all.

When the funeral pyre disappeared from our vision, I gently tugged Ezio's sleeve. "Come on, let's get back inside before someone recognizes you," I told him finally, after a long time. He nodded shortly, running a quick hand through Adel's tousled hair. She suddenly looked up at both of us, her eyes tired, sad, and curious.

"Is it true you killed the Doge?" She didn't seem to be afraid. I think she was beyond the point of caring if a murderer was standing right in front of her. Ezio sighed, kneeling down to look the girl in the eyes.

"In a way, I did. I didn't make it in time to save him," he explained to her.

"Then why can't you tell the guards you're innocent?" she asked with curiosity. Ezio glanced up at me.

"Because they won't listen. I'm a convenient scapegoat for them."

"Oh."

"Let's talk when we're back at the palace, okay?" I asked, looking around somewhat nervously. A few guards did not pose a problem, of course. But Adel was with us, and I didn't want to introduce her to bloodshed. At the very least not so soon after everything that happened.

"_Certemente_," he straightened out, and fell into step beside me. Adel continued to cling to my hand as we walked along the docks back towards the palace. Thankfully, this part of the city was void of guards, as it consisted mostly of abandoned buildings that looked like they were ready to crash down at any moment.

"Eden, you worry too much," Ezio drawled.

"That's got to be the first time I've ever heard someone say that to me."

"But seriously, what are the chances of somebody actually recognizing me?"

"Ezio, you're forgetting a tiny little detail."

"What's that?"

"It's us, so the chances are pretty good."

His mouth curved up in a smile as he shook his head, sighing. "Since when are you so careful?"

"Since the entire city is on full alert looking for you." I was not in a very optimistic mood at the moment. I was subconsciously gripping the handle of my gun, an uneasy feeling in the pit of my stomach.

"I-" The bell of alarm came too late to me. There was a sickening dull _thunk!_ and Ezio stumbled a few steps, gasping. It took me a moment to realize what was going on, another for Adel to scream, and one more for me to whip around and shoot the man that stood on the roofs, the new arrow falling out of his hands and cluttering onto the street.

But the alarm in my head did not go away. I realized there were more around, and they were drawing in fast. Ezio let out a stifled groan of pain, and I noted that a long arrow was sticking out of his right shoulder, blood already soaking the fabric around it. Making a decision in a split second, I yanked both of them to the nearest building. The door creaked loudly, but opened, despite the cross of boards on it, which I guess were just a warning in the fashion of "Yeah, this building is about to collapse, but hey, it's your life."

Ezio followed closely, grounding his teeth. I slammed the door behind us, and caught him on his stumble. The building was large, dark, and after straining my senses, I concluded completely empty except for a decade's worth of dust. I led both of them deeper inside as Ezio's fingers curled painfully on my shoulder. Looking terrified, Adel practically attached herself to my leg, hugging around it closely.

In the farthest corner of the house, blocked from general view by a wall, I carefully lowered Ezio onto the floor. He coughed, and hissed in pain. "We need to get- Antonio-"

"It's too far," I argued. He leaned onto the wall with his good shoulder heavily. "You won't make it there, and I'm not leaving you alone." I turned to Adel, who was watching us with continuous shock and fear. "Can you look around? Just don't leave the building." She hesitated, looking at the blood around the arrow and paling further. But she nodded, detaching herself from me and going back out of the room shakily. I turned back to Ezio. "You'll have to walk me through this, I only know the basics..."

I'd pulled out bullets before. Admittedly, the technique was slightly different, and probably more difficult, considering you'd have to find and pull the bullet out. At least the long shaft of the arrow was in plain sight. But I was suddenly afraid of doing something wrong.

"Break the ends," he instructed.

"Want something to bite?"

"Just do it!" he clenched his jaw when I touched the arrow. Luckily, my hands did not tremble, used to shooting even when I was wounded myself. As I snapped the barbed end off that'd gone cleanly through the top of his shoulder, he stifled a low moan, remembering to stay quiet. I threw the arrowhead away from myself, and gave him some time to regain his breath. Sliding the cloak off the end, I quickly undid the clasp, putting it away.

"Your one unprotected shoulder, and of course you get injured there," I muttered.

He smiled wearily through his pain. "Seems like I've got to start listening to you more often..."

"Damn straight." His armor and shirt came off with effort, as I tried to hurt him as little as possible while I worked, though I had to cut away a lot of the fabric around it.

"You set the entire thing up just so you could take my shirt off, didn't you? Cause you know, all you had to do was ask, _amore__,_" he made a feeble joke, and I glared at him, but then smiled involuntarily. How we managed to crack jokes in this type of situation was beyond me.

"Oh, please," I zipped my bag open, my hands slippery with his blood as I got out a flask of clean water and the bandages, "If I wanted to take someone's shirt off, I'd rather them not bleed all over me."

"But I guess things aren't so bad," he breathed, shutting his eyes for a moment against the pain, "I'm being undressed by a beautiful woman, so I shouldn't complain..."

"It's the blood loss talking," I replied to him, though I licked my lips nervously, feeling my cheeks heat up. "Now hush. This is going to hurt."

"What else is new?" he clenched his jaw and fists as I took a hold of the arrow stump again.

"Okay, one-" and without waiting for three, I yanked it out, dropping it onto the floor, and pressing his cloak onto the wound from both sides. Then I let out a breath of relief I didn't realize I was holding. "Okay - now... hey, don't pass out on me!"

"Right," he blinked rapidly. I proceeded to dress the wound after a few moments. I had very little water, so his entire side was still stained with blood, as were my hands. "Where's Adel?"

I forgot about her until he asked me, and looked around. "I'm not sure. Will you be okay for a few moments while I go check on her?" He didn't seem all that certain, but nodded. I stood up shakily, leaving his side. Adel was in the room beside us, curled up in a corner, staring in front of her blankly. "Hey, are you okay?"

She looked up at me, and nodded. "There's just…so much blood…" she stared at my arms with unease. But I didn't make a move to hide the blood on me.

"I'm sorry you had to see that. You can stay here for now if you want," she bobbed her head, hugging her knees again, and I came back to Ezio.

"Antonio's thieves should have went to him by now," he whispered as I sat down beside him again, making the dust swirl in protest, "You know how it goes... he finds everything out minutes after it happens."

"Let's just hope we don't get found by the wrong people." I replied, hanging my head. "I'm sorry, by the way."

"For what? I was the one being stubborn," his chuckle was followed by a small grunt. "Don't worry about anything."

"Ha! Who's worried?" I suddenly felt tired. The room was dark, with the boarded up windows not allowing any moonlight in. The house creaked and trembled at our every move, and outside, I could still hear guards still yelling to each other, searching the area. "You're lucky the arrow missed your lung. That would have sucked even more."

"Yes, I imagined that would have." He paused, and then slyly told me, "When Antonio gets here, though, I took down five of them before they got me. No! Ten!" I laughed quietly as he began to try and stand up. I put my hand on his chest though, restraining him.

"I don't think so. Stay down for now, I can't catch you if you pass out. I'm a strong girl, but not that strong." I reminded him, but he stubbornly continued to climb up the wall. I sighed, and let him attempt it. As soon as he was on his feet, though, he became wobbly again. "Told you."

"Okay, then...standing is a bad," he muttered, basically sliding down the wall to sit again.

"Shh!" I suddenly shushed him, listening to the old house. What was that tugging...

I stood up, alert, my knife falling into my hand easily. Somewhere in the old house, I heard footsteps. Quiet, careful, and confident, like the trotting of a big cat... or dog?

I slid into the room beside us. Thankfully, Adel was still in her spot. She stared at me, and then at the dagger in my hand with surprise and fear. I leaned down to her, and pressed a finger to my lips to stop her questioning. I then spoke quietly. "Can you go keep Ezio safe for me?" She nodded, scrambling to the doorway while I straightened out. I could hear the movements plainly now, and I narrowed my eyes, ready to carve up the first one that tried to come through the door.

My eyes widened when I heard growling of a hunter that caught scent of his prey. My insides froze over as I realized just where I heard that growling before...

They let the dogs out.

Literally.

_Sonofabitch._

An example of those freaks of nature nearly silently stalked through the doorway, and stared at me with i's glowing red eyes, the only thing that stood out in the darkness of the abandoned house. The rest of its figure looked merely like a big shadow, but I was sure that did not make it any less real, or it's claws any less sharp. I swallowed hard, and took a step back involuntarily, tightening my grip on my blade and gun.

It froze in the doorway, and glared at me. I realized that I was in the way, and it was confused. I didn't know how those things functioned, but considering Rodrigo's display, the owner had to give them direct commands. And this one was probably told to find and kill Ezio. The thing didn't know what to do with me or the girl. We were not part of its orders.

He tried to side step me, but I held my ground, knowing that if I let that creature get through, Ezio wouldn't stand a chance. Then he growled again, but before it could lounge for me, I pulled the trigger. I barely even heard the gunshot pulse past my ears, but I saw it jerk backwards as it whined with pain. A few drops of blood dropped onto the floor, the wound on its neck burning from my the bullet.

But the Thing did not fall down to die. I gulped, because as soon as the animal was injured, he decided to get rid of the nuisance that was the cocky girl with a weapon.

It roared at me threateningly, lunging with blurred speed. It was freakishly fast for something that size, but I managed to duck at the same time, slicing again at its throat. Connecting, the sound of ripped flesh echoed around me as it howled again. Jerking its head away, it faltered enough for me to see that I still managed to cut through a good half of it. Its blood immediately flooding onto the floor, I rolled away from the monster before it could reply in kind. When mortally wounded like that, it threw away the now useless instinct of preservation, blindly attacking me again as it charged.

Swiping its thick, sharpened claws, the monstrous mutant would've have easily taken off my arm if I didn't dart away in time. Jumping to its side and praying that I'd make it outside of its peripheral vision with enough time to strike again, I inavertedly yelped as it connected. Pain seared through my mind like a flash of flame as three deep gashes appeared along my right shoulder. I barely contained my scream, my long dagger clattering onto the floor, having fallen out of my weakened hand. My entire limb felt as if it was on fire.

Running on a nauseous combination of adrenaline and fear, and desperate to end it, I bit my lip hard enough to draw blood. Taking another shot as the Thing tried to orientate and attack again, the loud, deadly _pop!_ of my gun filled my ears.

That one hit in between the eyes. Shuddering, its giant, ugly head shook in its death throes. After what seemed an eternity, it finally fell to the side, twitching. I spared another two bullets just to make sure it was dead, and then dropped it, clutching at my arm. Finally letting out a loud groan, it felt as if it was about to fall off. I leaned onto the nearest wall, grinding my teeth.

"Man's best friend, my ass," I muttered to myself, and made my way carefully towards the doorway of the back room, where Ezio and Adel were.

I was met with two pairs of extremely worried and scared eyes. Adel was hiding behind him, curled up into a tight ball, tears of fear in her eyes, and Ezio was sitting alert, despite his wound, his dagger clutched in his good hand. I tried to smile reassuringly, but it was lost in the pain. I fell onto my knees beside them and my bag.

"Eden what the hell just happened?" Ezio asked, dropping his weapon, and holding onto my uninjured shoulder, as if afraid I'd fall. I guess I did feel a little dizzy...

"Less talk, more help," I glared at him, and began to pull at my shirt's collar. "Adel, don't go in the other room," I warned the girl as she made a move towards it, at the sight of fresh blood. "Just turn away - or something…dammit, Ezio, help me!" He didn't argue, but helped me remove the offending piece of clothing, hesitating slightly, at which I just snarled, "There's nothing you haven't seen!" Granted, I was left in my thinly woven undertunic, which didn't leave much to the imagination. But there were far more important things to think about than modesty. With each word, pain pulsated anew, and I just wanted to get the irritating cloth off of me.

"Did you kill it?" he asked as I turned my back to him, beginning to clean through the multiple wounds. They were actually not as bad as they felt, but the green foam forming along the edges signaled something was wrong. I hissed in pain as I cleaned it, though it was useless for now; I'd need to cut away the strange infection before I could properly tend it.

"No, I just left it alive! I always wanted a pet!" I didn't bother turning just for the pleasure of glaring at him. "It was hunting for you. Your blood is everywhere." My own bleeding did not wish to be stopped, and I only managed to slow it down. Though it was hard to do with only one hand. I tried to move my fingers. Painfully, they complied, to my great relief, though they were almost completely unwilling to bend. "We'll both have to see a doctor as soon as we get out of here."

He agreed quietly. I ignored my shirt, and instead, pulled my cloak around me. I was cold. And so _tired_...

I was still worried, as I blinked through the unnaturally fuzzy surroundings. The assassin always healed surprisingly fast, an ability that I envied. Considering I just lost use of my right arm for at least a week or two, he would be up and about in just a few days. But for now, we were both in far from perfect shape. I just hoped very sincerely that no guard would follow the dog inside to see what happened.

But, of course, things never go as you want them to.

Adel heard it first, to Ezio's and my surprise, as she suddenly made a small noise, scrambling back across the room to us.

_"Think it found him?"_

_"It hasn't come out for a good ten minutes. Probably feeding..."_

_"I don't want to see that!"_

_"Well- what?! __Cazzo__!!_" I think they found my recent masterpiece at that moment. I realized that I left one of my daggers and my gun in the other room... and prayed they didn't find them.

_"He killed it!"_

_"Impossible. He was injured badly, you __saw__ the amount of blood on the street!"_

_"Then it was that girl!"_

_"Are you telling me a woman could take one of these down? He'd rip her apart before she could even move!"_

_"Just shut up and help me search the house!"_

I shut my eyes tightly for a moment, and my left hand found my remaining knives. I could throw with both arms, but...

But the moment that one of the guards entered, a hand appeared from behind him, and slit his throat before he could even make a sound. I breathed with relief as the pathetic lighting of the darkened warehouse revealed Ugo and Luca as they came through the door.

"What have you got yourself into?" Luca shook his head reproachfully. What came next, I don't remember. I think I may have fainted from relief. That doesn't sound like me, but...

Damned dog…

---

~_"Hey," Eve greeted me coolly. I leaned back on the bench, looking up at her._

_"Hey yourself. It's been a while." She nodded, and sat down beside me. She __hadn't changed __over the years. Her eyes were still the cool shade of dark green, staring out with solid indifference that was not present until after our father left. __And__ she was still the __more conventionally__ prettier one. She didn't have scars coloring her skin, __for one thing__. Her hair was not cropped unevenly and pulled back into a __messy__ ponytail. It fell __to her shoulders in__its__ beautiful, __layered__ curls, __so uncannily__ like our mother's._

_"You really screwed up this time, Eden."_

_I smiled bitterly, looking away from her, and leaning onto my knees. This was a tired old argument. __But__ this time, I had no intention of denying anything. "Yeah, I guess I did."_

_"Why did you do it?"_

_"Why?" I repeated thoughtfully. "I've done a lot of things, and for different reasons. What do you mean?"_

_"You could start with why you followed in dad's footsteps."_

_"Becoming an assassin? I didn't do it for him. I did it for you and mom."_

_"What about afterward? When both of us were gone and you had no reason to continue?" she asked, probing. I sighed._

_"Eve, what do you want me to say? I don't know why. Maybe I liked it. Maybe I cracked up after everything fell apart. Maybe because I didn't know anything else."_

_"And now?"_

_"Now? Now… it just makes sense. It's about the only thing that does anymore. I'm a killer, Eve, and no matter how hard I'd try, I'd never be able to let it go. Maybe Dad knew this before he died. It's why he gave me the tattoo, isn't it?"_

_"And we come back to dad," she crossed her arms. "He'd be so proud of you...Why are you so eager to join him and mom, though?"_

_"Shut up," I whispered sadly._

_"Or is this about Alex? Are you really so heartbroken? I thought you were over it already."_

_"You never get over it," I shook my head, "I didn't used to think that until after he died."_

_"You lied to each other."_

_"And it still worked."_

_"You were a drug dealer, __a__ gang member and a killer. He was an __army ranger.__ What, you think that in death he won't mind all that?"_

_"I won't die."_

_"That's what he used to say, isn't it?" she was trying to push my buttons, and trying hard. "You were happy with him. And then he left, and never came back. Just like dad, and like me. Is that why you're so scared?"_

_"Scared? Of what, pray tell?"_

_"Why do you run from him?" in my dreams, it seemed perfectly normal that Eve was talking about people she never knew._

_"Ezio?" I asked, and the name hung in the haze of my mind. "I don't run from him."_

_"Not physically," she shrugged. "You want to love him. You do love him. You just don't trust him to stay."_

_"And who's fault is that?" A bitter smile appeared on her lips._

_"I guess it's mine. But, dearest sister, you might as well enjoy it while it lasts. Who knows. Maybe you will see old age after all. Though I wouldn't bet on it."_

_We sat like that in silence for a long moment, in which she pulled out a smoke, and lit it up._

_"Eve, what are you doing here?" I finally asked. "And why can't I dream of nice things?"_

_"Oh, haha," she chuckled without humor, taking a long __drag__ from the cigarette. "Trust me, this isn't the first time you'll go down the memory lane. Just say thanks that it's just me and not Larry."_

_"I'm not sure which is better anymore," I grumbled, "Though I guess my former boss is the last person I want to see while asleep."_

_"Former?" she stared at me for a long moment. __And__ then __she__ began to laugh. I liked her laugh, __always__ had - it was pure, melodic, and beautiful. It was one of those things I used to live for. But the bitterness in it stung, now. "Do you really think that? Please, look at yourself. You still think of him as your boss. You're still afraid of him, even though his great-great-great-great-however many greats grandfather isn't even born yet! You're an idiot if you think you'll get over it that easily!" _

_"So what do you suggest then?" I snarled quietly, pulling my legs up onto the bench. She shrugged._

_"Waking up would be a good idea," __she smirked at me, standing up.__ "Well, sister dearest, this is where I say goodbye. You'll see me again though. You can bet on it." Instead of shimmering out of sight or disappearing in a puff of smoke, she simply walked away into the __fog in front of me,__ until I could no longer see her._

_I was left on the white bench in the middle of nowhere, blankly staring into space.~_

---

"Ezio..." Adel whispered. The man moved in the darkness, looking around to her. His eyes were sad, and very tired as she came closer to him, putting a small hand on his arm. He smiled down to her, grateful for any distraction at that moment. With his shoulder healing and Eden still asleep, there was a hell of a lot to be worried about.

After the incident, his own wounds were properly stitched up and tended, and Adel was escorted into the palace by Luca, who managed to calm her down quickly. She'd taken a liking of the thief, like nearly every other female, no matter the age, charmed and calmed down by his even, pleasant tone. The dog was also brought in, though it took the joined efforts of five men to do so. Antonio already began to try and identify the creature, but so far, he'd come up with nothing.

And Ezio stayed at Eden's side. For many reasons. Because she couldn't protect herself at that moment. Because he was worried that Borgia's men wanted to capture her. Not to mention, because she just looked so god damned peaceful while asleep that he couldn't take his eyes off her.

"How are you doing?" he asked quietly, and she shrugged.

"I don't know."

"Are you afraid of us?" he suddenly asked, a question that'd been spinning in his head for some time. She didn't seem to be afraid, but he wasn't sure.

She shook her head. "No. You and her...you're good. Even if you do bad things."

"How do you know that?" he shifted his eyebrows together.

"Dad always said assassins were evil. And you... you hurt others. But not good people, just the bad ones. You save the good ones. Doesn't that make you good?" she seemed confused by her own thought process.

Ezio slowly nodded, "Yes. I guess that's, uh, what we do," he steadily said.

"See? Simple," she shrugged. He couldn't help but grin. Sometimes it really did take a child's easy answer to break down what really mattered.

Suddenly, he furrowed a brow again. "Adel, can I ask you something? Who was your father involved with back in France?"

"Why?"

"We've been trying to figure out who set the fire," he explained. He didn't want to scare the girl any more, so he didn't add, _Because they might be coming after you._

She seemed to contemplate it for a while, scrunching up her face in thought before replying, "He made deals. With lots of people."

"Can you remember who he made a deal with right before you came here?"

"No," she shook her head. "I'm sorry," she swallowed, "I don't know anything."

"That's fine," he shrugged. It would have made no difference, anyway. "And here's an easier one. What are we going to do with you?"

"What?" Adel was taken aback by the question, "But- can't I stay here?"

He smiled sadly. "Adel, we can't exactly take very good care of you."

"I don't need anyone's care!" she stated stubbornly, "I can be an assassin, too!"

He opened his mouth, and shut it again. Now he was the one taken aback. "What?"

"I want to be like you and Eden!"

"But...why?"

"Because..." She tried to think of a reason, but suddenly came up with a blank. He sighed, and lifted her up to sit on his lap with his good arm.

"Adel, you have no idea how hard it gets sometimes. I became one out of vengeance more than anything else. For Eden, it was the only way. Looking back, there was never much choice for either of us."

"But-"

"I'm sorry I have to say this, but you're too young to make a decision like that, _tesorina_."

He understood the fact that she could have easily grown up in the few days, as he did. He was, after all, nothing but a teenage boy when life took the unexpected turn, forcing him to mature in the matter of hours. Perhaps she did too. But he suddenly couldn't stand the idea of the innocent creature going down his path.

She opened her eyes wide and sniffed, pushing away from him. "Eden said the same thing."

He looked over to the woman sleeping on the bed, now peaceful but very tired looking. "She was closer to your age when her parents died."

"They died?" she suddenly seemed confused. "She said they weren't...around..."

It was too late to bite his tongue, so he shrugged, and explained. "It's hard to talk about those things. Or maybe she just didn't want you to feel sorry for her."

"Did your parents-?"

"Yes."

"Oh. I'm-"

"Adel," he interrupted, glancing outside of the window, where the moon was barely visible in the upper corner of the frame, "It's late, you should get some sleep."

"What about you?"

"I'm alright, I haven't done anything for the last two days."

"She won't wake up because you're watching her," she reminded him, and he chuckled.

"You never know."

"If anything, you should kiss her!"

"What?" he did a double take, and the girl smiled for the first time in days, looking very proud of herself.

"Like in the fairy tale! The prince wakes the princess up with a kiss!"

He bit down on his lip, as to not burst out laughing, and to stop the slight blush he immediately felt creeping along his cheeks. "Adel, this is hardy a fairy tale. And Eden would probably hurt me if I ever called her a princess."

"No harm in trying, right?" she crossed her arms, looking at him sternly.

"Seriously, _piccola_. She'll kill me."

"If she wakes up, she'll just be thankful. And if not, then she'll never know!"

He sighed. "If I do it, will you go to bed?"

She nodded enthusiastically. He let out another breath and stood up, nearing the bed.

Eden was in a lot better shape than she was after the poison incident. Once just asleep, she curled up around the sheets again, throwing a few of the unsuspecting pillows to the floor. Sitting down beside her, he gently brushed a few strands away from her face, and she shifted in the drug-induced sleep, murmuring something unintelligible, though it seemed to put her at eases.

Leaning down, his lips hovered over hers for a moment, hesitating. _Sorry, Eden. _He mentally said goodbye to the cruel world, and kissed her.

To his enormous surprise, the sky didn't fall down, and the world did not explode,. It creaked, threatened, and became a brighter place all of a sudden.

Her lips were not smooth and soft like every other girls' he kissed. They were torn, scarred and healing, but they were warm and familiar, like everything else about her. He suddenly realized he preferred that to the beautiful and fragile ladies from this time.

He pulled away, pressing his fingers to his mouth in startled realization. The strange warm feeling inside his chest was foreign, he realized as he sat back down beside her.

Looked at Adel, who had a strange look of triumph on her face as she waved goodbye, skipping out of their quarters, Ezio was left to continue his vigil over the woman, pondering what had just occurred.

Soon after that, Eden shifted again. Muttering his name quietly, a smile graced her lips, as if a ray of sunshine spilled over her face. Running a hand through her hair, he couldn't help but smile, however - she spoke in her sleep sometimes: names, random words in his language, but more often than not, in her own, barely audible. Mostly, it was of Alex, which was followed by either a soft sigh, or a sharp intake of breath. It didn't take Leonardo's brains to figure out what she dreamed about. Sometimes, she even woke up, leaving for about an hour.

After a moment, Ezio also realized that she hadn't been talking in her sleep for a rather long time.

Mostly, ever since they made it a habit of sleeping close together.

---

I cracked my eyes open, and was greeted by very bright light. I blinked. It didn't go away. I blinked again, with the same result. And then I realized it was the sun shining through the window. I was buried in the white sheets, curled up around a pillow. I shifted, testing myself out.

A quick flare of pain shot through my arm, and my eyes flew open completely. A small gasp escaped my lips as I remembered what happened.

"You're awake!" I felt someone sit beside me, the mattress giving under him. I rolled my head, trying to escape the blankets and finding Ezio smiling at me warmly. "I was starting to get worried."

"Sure - just- give me a moment to remember my name," I muttered, rubbing my eyes. Then I squinted at him, my eyes traveling over his form, stopping on his left shoulder. "How are you?"

"Well, far from great, but getting there," he laughed softly.

"What happened?" I asked quietly.

"You'll never believe this, but you were poisoned."

"What? By who?" I didn't understand.

"The dog, apparently," he explained. "Did it bite you?"

"No-" I tried to remember. That particular part was sort of fuzzy, "I think it scratched me."

"When you passed out, we moved you to a doctor right away. He was surprised too, but came up with an antidote quickly enough.

"How long was I out?"

"A few days-"

_"What?!"_ I would have sat up sharply if my arm was not completely against me moving it in any way. "How the hell?!"

"Easy, now!" he hurried to calm me down, "There're still remnants of poison in your blood, not to mention the blood loss itself, and just plain exhaustion. The doctor said that the more you slept the better."

"You drugged me?" I asked dangerously, and he looked a bit more nervous.

"Technically, the doctor did, I had nothing to do with it."

"You…you…_suck_," I stated bluntly, and retreated back into the blankets. I heard him chuckle as I pouted into the fabric. "Go away. And tell someone to get me some coffee. This is just inexcusable, I can't believe you let me stay in bed this long!"

"What would you rather be doing?"

"Anything else! And frankly, I don't trust you not to have your way with my sleeping body," I growled in good humor. But to my surprise, I heard him cough. "Ezio_ Auditore_," I snorted in admittedly amused warning, "What did you do?"

"Nothing. My apologies for letting you sleep. You just looked so damn adorable, I didn't have the heart to wake you up."

"I'll give you adorable..." I yawned widely, shuddering internally when I imagined what I actually looked like at that moment. Probably not the visage of Venus, that was for sure. "As soon as I get some damn coffee..."

"I don't understand how you drink that stuff," he humphed, and I emerged from the sheets once more to glare at him.

"It's not that bad with some milk and sugar, you know."

"I knew it! It's just that Antonio seems to think that's a defilation of an expensive product, though..."

"Pfft, less coffee is used up, and I like it better. I don't see why he's complaining." I grumbled. "What's the point of having something if you don't use it? Or, in this case, drink it? Anyway," I finally sat up properly, stacking up the pillows behind me, and folded my hands on my lap, "Alright, then, fine. I have three questions."

"Shoot."

"What's the take on things outside the palace? How's Adel? And what the hell am I wearing?!"

"Nothing is new, Adel is fine, and that, _cara mia_, is a nightdress."

"A night - who was the genius that decided it would be a grand idea to put me in this?!" I stared down at the white gown, through which the bandage of my shoulder showed clearly.

Smirking, he arched a devious brow. "I like it," Ezio reassured me after laughing at my expression.

"And why is that?"

"It's see-through."

I gaped for a moment, and then threw a pillow at him, "Out, you pervert! Out!"

He began to snicker as he caught the pillow, and returned it in kind. "Hey, you've got nothing to be ashamed of-"

"You will soon!" I threatened, and he continued to laugh loudly on his way out. Once he was gone, I suddenly regretted chasing him out, as I was starving. I snorted to myself, and slumped back into the bed for a moment before sighing, and getting up carefully.

It was time to play hide-and-seek with my clothes...


	25. Chapter 24

"The Dirty Knife" was not a very respectable place. Actually, it was likely operating illegally, without any sort of license. Not that the patrons would be reporting that to the Doge any time soon. The people that gathered here were not simply drunks and occasional celebrating merchants. Mercenaries, thieves, whores, and basically anyone who was looking for an illegal or simply awkward and delicate job considered this_ their_ tavern. And it was widely accepted as such, an unspoken rule of this district. If a cocky or suicidal guard or noble ever wandered in, you could bet that they would not get a very warm welcome. Then again, even nobles hired thieves.

From the outside, it looked basically like any other tavern. The only hint at its reputation was the two crossed knives behind a tankard on the sign that dripped something I was fairly sure wasn't paint. I pushed the door open, and walked in silently. Eyes closest to the door shot up, and I took in the sight of a few blades glinting in the dim lights. But no one made a move towards me…at least not yet. Crossing the loud room without even glancing at the patrons, I made my way towards the barkeep, my hood drawn down far over my face. The rather rotund, sleazy looking man behind the counter watched my approach warily.

Funny thing with thieves. They didn't trust many people, understandably so. But they never tried to rough up someone until they proved that they were not good news. Until then, they just kept a close eye on them. And a steady hand on their weapons.

To tell the truth, it wasn't the first time I had to gather information via this age-old, and foolproof way. The bartenders heard everything, knew everyone, and were always willing to spread the rumors for a small price. And in a place like this, you knew that he wouldn't sell himself out to the guards about an overly curious stranger. Besides, Luca told me that the pub was also somewhat or a safe house, too, if one ever needed to hide out and lay low for a while.

"Anything for you?" the barkeep politely asked, much to my surprise. I smirked discretely in reply, though.

"Well, Antonio told me so much of this place, so I couldn't resist visiting."

Understanding dawned on his face, though he seemed surprised. Not many women aside from the serving girls and whores came around the place. "What's your deal? Looking for a job? Or are you here to order?"

"I already have a job."

"Information, then?" he smiled, which could have passed for good-natured and kind one, if he didn't have half his teeth missing. "And what are you then, a thief? Heard there was a feisty girl in Antonio's flock..."

"No, actually. Though I do have a knife that has Cecilio Maeriale written all over it." One of my hands was playing with the coins in my pocket. No doubt the man, as well as half the tavern heard the little jingling.

"Who?" he put on a careful mask of polite surprise. I continued to smile sweetly, as more money appeared on the bar, only to disappear into his hands.

"Ah, now I remember. The lawyer? Yes, he's been causing us a lot of trouble lately. This city is full of those corrupt buggers. All they do is arrest innocent people and say they're fighting crime. And the new Doge isn't helping, either - at least when Mocenigo was in charge, he thought twice about ruffling any feathers. And now...just last night, that _figlio di puttana _Maeriale arrested Old Man Odo for theft. Now, Odo's a strange one, no doubt, but he's never stolen anything. And then there was a boy they took away too, Marcus something-or-other, one of Antonio's flock. Which is I guess why you're here?"

The name rang a bell. A very... very... annoying bell. _Bob_?

Actually, I didn't take the job because of that. Mostly, it was to get away from the Seta. Antonio was still busy examining that god damned dog, most of the thieves were out doing their usual things, Leonardo was still not back from Milan. And Ezio and Adel...I was pissed at both of them.

Seems that while I was out, Adelaide came to the conclusion that she wanted to be an assassin. For god knows what reasons, considering she stated outright it wasn't because of revenge or anything like that. And while I was trying to find my jaw on the floor, Ezio stated that he approved of the choice, even though his face looked as if I was pulling his teeth.

So what did I do?

No, I didn't scream bloody murder. Nor did I smite them down where they stood, though for a long moment, I was very tempted to. No, I glared at both of them for a good measure, threatened to send Adel to a nunnery (even if a little part of me sniveled up and died at that), and told Ezio that he should not be within eyesight of me at any point in the future.

As soon as that went down, I began to find excuses to get out of the palace, giving both of them the silent treatment, which, to my amazement, worked better than I ever thought. By the end of the first week, Adel still remained firm, but Ezio was slowly caving.

Back to the present...

"What will happen to them?" I asked, tilting my head with curiosity.

"With anyone else, they would just wait in jail for a few weeks, and then pay the fine. But with Cecilio..."

"They will be executed," a man beside us spoke up suddenly.

I turned towards him, cautiously taking him in. "How do you know that?"

The stranger laughed. "He has executed every good man he's 'caught' so far. It's about time someone stepped in, but our Doge isn't lifting a finger to do so. He's obsessed with the assassin that killed that rat, Grimaldi, and Mocenigo."

"Is that so?" He nodded enthusiastically, encouraged by my interest.

"Yes. They almost got him too, they say. Escaped by a hair. But you know, I don't think anyone would mind if he tries to hide in Cecilio's bedroom next..."

"When are they going to execute them?" I asked.

"Oh, some time today. That's what those heralds preach. But, say, why are we talking on such a gruesome topic, how about we-"

"Maybe because the lady already has a suitor?" Ezio's heavy hand appeared on my shoulder so suddenly, that I nearly flinched, and let out a slow breath through my teeth. The man I was talking to looked up at the assassin, only to hurry to take another seat at least three meters away from us.

"Jealous?" I asked, my teeth clenched, as another coin flashed in the air, and disappeared in the bar keep's hands, as a thanks for the information.

"Of course." I wasn't sure whether he was being sarcastic or not, but I definitely felt myself respond to the protective note in his voice. Standing up from the stool, we moved out of the tavern, once more drawing curious eyes. "And how could I not be, really? I turn my back for one moment, and you're making eyes at some greasy-"

"I didn't do anything. He must have had a few drinks if he was that eager to share information. Besides, I told you not to follow me! "

"I really doubt that's all he wanted to share." He completely ignored the last part of my statement. We stopped in a shadow of a nearby alley to argue, and immediately, grumbling could be heard somewhere above us.

"And I'm not that type of girl," I glared at him from underneath my hood. "Don't think I'll just jump in bed with the closest stranger, unlike someone here. Besides, why the hell did you come? I can handle this on my own perfectly well! Not to mention, don't you have some little girls to damn to a life of killing?"

He muttered something so low I couldn't hear.

"Repeat that again, and in Italian this time," I chimed, crossing my arms.

"I already said I'm sorry!"

"Ezio, Adel is still a child. How can you even think-"

"She blackmailed me!"

"With what, pray tell? Your conditioner and make-up kit?" I raised my eyebrows at him.

"What is this 'conditioner' you speak of?" he asked with confusion, which only caused me to roll my eyes.

"It makes your hair soft and manageable," I snorted, reaching up and giving his hair a vicious tug, "and girly!"

"Hey!" he yelped, quickly backing out of my grasp.

"I can't possibly imagine what an eight-year old could have against you that you would even think of humoring her on this!" I snapped.

"Well-" he reached up to scratch the back of his head uncomfortably. "That doesn't matter. The point is, I was sort of forced into agreeing! It doesn't mean that we actually have to train her in anything just yet. She can still change her mind!"

"Well, you'd better be right, because I'm not going to teach a child how to _kill!_"

"And neither will I! Really, who do you take me fo-" Suddenly, one of the people above us decided they had enough. Dumping a bucket of water out the window, it splashed Ezio head to toe, and effectively ending the argument. We stared at each other for a moment, and then I had to lean onto the nearby wall as I broke out laughing, holding my stomach as he tried to realize what the hell just happened. Laughing even harder at his shocked expression, I was nearly in tears with glee.

As he tried to move, he slipped, made a feeble attempt to fly, failed, and fell backwards into the canal. Even the splash of water on my clothes didn't stop my laughter. I nearly sunk to the tiles, gripping my sides as they began to hurt.

_Ah, sweet karma. She's a bitch, but I love her!_

"Come on," I made out through the giggling when he pulled himself up from the water. "Let's get you off of these _dangerous_ streets."

"I hat-te you," he ground out, taking off his cloak and twisting it in his hands. Water spilled onto the ground thickly. "B-back to the Seta, then..."

"And give the thieves a once in a lifetime show of a very wet and pissed assassin? They'll die laughing," I noted, not minding the fact that that I just threatened to die in the same manner. He glared at me, but looked so much like a half drowned dog at that moment, that I just burst out laughing again. Crossing his arms, he waited for me to finish, apparently not finding this nearly as amusing as I did. "Come on, Leonardo's workshop is closer," I finally gasped out. In fact, we were pretty much in the courtyard right in front of the workshop.

It took me only a minute to climb through the window which the forgetful artist left unlocked (thankfully, he was on the Thieves Guild friend list). It hadn't changed in the absence of its owner. There was slightly less stuff cluttering the place, and a thin coat of dust covered everything. But aside from that, it was as though Leonardo never left. I opened the front door, though somewhat sadistically waiting for a few minutes before I let Ezio in. When he finally came inside, I could almost hear his teeth chattering.

Still giggling, I began to rummage in the bedroom, and found a towel and some spare clothes.

"Hopefully, he won't mind," I said, coming back into the main room, where Ezio had already stripped off his armor and tunic. He immediately wrapped the towel around himself, still shivering.

"This is all your fault," he grit, but I just smiled wider.

"Hey, at least _I _feel better..."

"You're mean," he stated, and I sighed, melting on the inside.

"Fine, we'll assume you've suffered enough." I gave in, and came closer, hugging him. "Seriously, who has a random bucket of freezing water standing around?"

"Those who have annoying people arguing right underneath their windows?" he suggested, as he tugged me to the nearest chair, sitting down on the edge of it. I perched on his knee, as he refused to let the heat source go, holding me to him tightly.

I think my heart was running a hundred miles per hour, as seemed to be the case any time I was in such close contact with him. I was almost certain he could hear it.

"Promise you won't be training Adel?" I asked quietly.

He pulled away, and looked me sternly in the eyes. "Eden, I have no intention of doing so. Maybe we can find a family for her, or perhaps someone wouldn't mind teaching her. If it comes down to it, we can move her to either Firenze or Monteriggioni."

"So, just out of curiosity, then," I slyly narrowed my eyes, "What did she blackmail you with?"

"That…is none of your business." For some reason, he blushed, and I laughed.

"I can just ask her. I'm pretty sure she'll be a little unhappy about your withdrawal from her decision..."

"You are absolutely evil," he almost whined. "You just enjoy torturing me, don't you?"

"Of course!" He chuckled, and dropped his forehead onto my shoulder. His wet hair touched my skin, and I cringed. "Hey! That's cold!"

"No shit, Sherlock."

"And don't use my lines!"

He sighed, now making me cringe for a different reason. "Yes, dear."

Honestly, he was like a huge teddy bear. I suddenly got the urge to hug him, and cuddle him, and - _stop that train of thought right there!_

It was Ezio that did something I didn't expect. He suddenly tightened his hold on me, and nuzzled my neck, as if trying to bury his nose in the warmth of my artery.

My brain just about froze, as if to say "Yeah, you're on your own," my breathing hitching slightly. I hurried to even it out before Ezio could notice. Mentally, I tried counting to ten, but got stuck on "two", something that made me panic worse than seeing three squads of guards come in from all sides...

Suddenly, without any warning, the door opened, and a familiar voice could be heard muttering. I all but jumped away from Ezio, hurrying to put as much distance between us as possible.

"I could have sworn I locked - Oh!" Leonardo stared at us, blinking rather rapidly, taking in the fact that Ezio was shirtless and wrapped in a towel, soaking wet. I probably looked like a deer caught in headlights at that moment. "What are you two doing-"

"There was an incident in one of the alleys," I explained fast, ever so grateful for the interruption. "I'm sorry for breaking into it, but really, you should lock all the windows when you leave."

"Of…course..."

"Right. Well Ezio can get you caught up on everything," I said pointedly, before slipping past Leonardo and out the open door without looking at the assassin again.

"Where are you going?" Ezio called after me.

"_I_ have a job, and it can't wait!" I called over my shoulder, all but running out.

* * *

Leonardo looked pleased to be back in his natural habitat, amongst his sketches, plans, projects and inventions. He began chattering almost immediately after the surprise wore off. Ezio listened absentmindedly as the artist talked about Milan and the commission work he was supposed to finish a month ago. At one point or another, he finally remembered who he was talking to.

"I must admit, I did not expect to see you again. They say you murdered the Doge!"

"I was trying to save him," Ezio groaned. "But it doesn't matter now."

"Yes, I suppose not. And, out of curiosity, what was Eden talking about when she left?"

"Her work is similar to mine," Ezio shrugged, and understanding dawned on the painter's face.

"Of course! Well, she seemed in a hurry. Did something happen?"

Ezio thought about it for a moment, and then shrugged. He didn't exactly understand the way she thought, or why she would want to leave so quickly. "I really don't know. Oh, and Leonardo, I have another codex for you," Ezio told the artist, having decided to deal with Eden later. Leo's eyes glittered slightly at the sight of the scroll, as always.

"Excellent! Let me see it!" He took it from his hands, and cleared up the space on his table by simply sweeping everything out of his way before spreading the vellum over the surface. "Hmm, this seems to be another design for your arm, but not a blade..."

"Yes, Eden identified as much," he stated without thinking, looking over Leonardo's shoulder. The man looked up at him, surprised again.

"That's hardly possible, I haven't ever seen a design like this, and I doubt it even exists. This seems to be some sort of _arma da fuoco__,_ a firearm, but as small as a hummingbird!"

"Do you think it's possible?" Ezio knew the answer, of course. He already began to remove his bracer from his arm, laying it beside the codex page.

"Well, we'll just have to make it and find out!" Ezio sat down in the one and only chair, after transferring the stuff on it to the floor. Watching the artist work and mumbling something under his breath, his thoughts trailed to Eden once again.

"Leonardo?" Ezio asked thoughtfully. The artist looked up, and raised a curious eyebrow, tearing himself from his work for a moment.

Seconds passed, and Ezio still couldn't bring himself to ask anything. "Yes?" Leo prompted.

The assassin sighed. "Never mind."

"Does this have anything to do with Eden?" Leonardo sometimes proved too perceptive for Ezio's comfort. After hesitating slightly, he nodded.

"Things have been...confusing, I suppose is the word."

"What happened?"

"Nothing...or, I don't know."

"Well?"

"I think...I may be... falling…in love with her?" he admitted, though it sounded more like a question. It sounded a little strange to say out loud, as if he was confessing some dark secret.

"Well, that's not hard to see," Leonardo shrugged, going back to his work, leaving Ezio to gape.

"Wait, you knew?"

"Mmhm. You two were inseparable from day one, as I recall. You care for each other, no?"

"That's the thing-" Ezio dropped his head into his hands. "It's hard not to love her. At least once you get past the initial impression."

"Yes, she's really something," Leonardo nodded in distracted agreement, though Ezio swore he saw the artist smirk for a fleeting moment. "So you love her. What's the problem?"

"She doesn't love me."

"Why are you so sure of that?" the artist looked up again, bewildered. "Eden has been with you since the beginning. She went all over Tuscana with you, followed you through half of Italy to Venice, and from what she told me, has risked her life for you on many occasions. What makes you say she doesn't love you?"

"She doesn't love me the way I - want her to. She probably just thinks of me as her brother or something..."

"And you can't exactly judge her for that."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Leonardo sighed, and turned towards Ezio fully. Leaving the weapon and codex alone, he quickly realized that he wouldn't get any quiet for now. "My friend, how many women have you been with since you've met her? How many did you leave within the hour after getting what you wanted? And how many of them does she know about?"

Ezio blinked, the picture suddenly becoming more clear all of a sudden. "Wait, so you're saying-"

"She is a smart woman, and if she cares for you that much, she likely doesn't want to get hurt."

"I'd never hurt her," Ezio noted, "Out of fear, maybe, at the very least, but never intentionally. Besides, she doesn't strike me as the type to be afraid of getting hurt."

_But that's not exactly true... _

"But put yourself in her shoes for a moment. Have you ever woken up after an eventful evening with the sheets already going cold? I don't know her like you do, but maybe she has. Can you honestly say you don't understand why she's rejecting you?"

His mouth fell open, and then closed again as he tried to come up with a response. In truth, she hadn't officially rejected him. She most likely didn't even know what his feelings towards her were. But the many times she pulled away from what could have led to something...it felt almost like a rejection.

"So what do I do, then?"

"You're really asking me for advice? You, as in, Ezio Auditore?"

"Quit it, Leonardo. She's hardly just any girl."

"Well, do what you do best, then," Leonardo shrugged, turning back to the device, and not waiting for a response from Ezio.

"What, assassinate her? I don't see how that's going to help anything."

"Ezio, what do you want from me?" The inventor asked exasperatedly. "You love her, she loves you. And it will be all nice and lovely, and you can go off and get married, and have little children, and then move to Rome and become the pope; just for god's sake, let me work!"

Then, after a moment, the artist seemed to have remembered something, for he turned back to Ezio sharply, "By the way, I have some interesting news..."

* * *

I nodded, and the young thief flashed a cheerful smile, scurrying away with ten florins in his pocket. Crossing my arms, I leaned back onto one of the columns that ran across the perimeter of the square. The execution stage stood "proudly" right in the middle of it, blood sprayed over the boards and the nooses. There was wide empty space around it, as people avoided it like a plague, perhaps afraid of vengeful spirits of the deceased. I couldn't care less. My interest was not the amount of blood on it, or even the stage itself, but the distance between it and the roofs.

Thinking about the upcoming assassination was easier than having to think about Ezio, though his name popped up in my thoughts every now and again. I struggled to forget about it, focusing on the plan instead.

The buildings around it were tall, but easily claimable. Unlike the Ducale, they had lots of secluded balconies in which I could hide afterward. The only real problem was the archers along the roofs patrolling the area around the palazzo, as well as those on the ground. If they were dealt with, then Cecilio would be easily within my sniping range. After that, I would have no problem getting away.

Then again, there was the problem with Marcus and Old Man Joe - I mean, Odo. If possible, I wanted them out of danger. Antonio's thieves would not enter a fight unless the way was clear. I already paid off a group of thieves to take the first opportunity and get the two accused out of there. But to clear the way for them, I'd have to get involved a bit more closely.

I mentally tried to calculate my chances if I tried coming up close and personal with Cecilio. In theory, the corrupt lawyer should be making the charges, perhaps leaving one or two guards to pull the lever, and a load of people watching (Funny folks; they wrinkled their noses in disgust and hurried away in fear when there was a fight or a dead body on the streets, but watched executions with enjoyment). And, of course, the many guards around the place, considering the close proximity with the palazzo Ducale. If I could push through the people, kill Cecilio and the guard, grab the two accused-

Dammit, I'd become a kebab as soon as I tried to flee. Then again…

I suddenly smiled, as I looked around once more from the shadow of the walkway. If I could have the guards even just momentarily distracted, then it would prove no challenge to run away, taking more of them after me, and leaving the way wide open for the thieves to free Odo and Marcus.

To tell the truth, I was excited for the assassination, if a bit nervous. It was my element, getting back to what I'd spent half my life doing. And for once, the adrenaline rush that came with the kill and escape was for me alone to enjoy. A somewhat twisted thought, I realized, but...

It was starting. I didn't have time to climb the roofs.

The people began to gather quickly around the stage simultaneously, watching eagerly for the criminals to be brought forth. The long knife slid easily into my hand, concealed by my cloak as I saw the group make their way into the center of the crowd, and onto the stage. I came closer, weaving through the people easily.

_Kill. Kill. Kill-_ my thoughts chanted in excitement. Instinct took over, my way was clear.

I blinked, and the world went dark, the people on the execution stage beginning to shine. It was a strange, unusual feeling, but in my current state, I barely even noticed, even welcoming it a bit. One of the prisoners shone white, the other blue, Cecilio in yellow, and the guard accompanying him, in red. I recalled what Ezio told me. My target was the fat man in rich clothes, whose very heartbeat I could hear in my ears, getting louder, leading me to him with a magnetic pull. I didn't hear his words as he spoke the accusations. Words were unimportant, his excuses not enough to stay my blade.

I sped up, but tried to push people out of my way gently, not drawing attention to myself before I had to. There were guards lined up beside the stage, shining in red as well. But they didn't even notice me until it was too late.

I dodged the one that tried to push me back into the crowd. Ducking under his arm, at the same time, I cleanly sliced through his unprotected throat before I flew up onto the stage, as lightly as a sparrow. In a familiar flicker of the wrists, the two red bodyguards grasped at their throats, choking on their own blood as it spilled down their armor.

Cecilio tried to back away. Realizing too late what was going on, he tripped over his own robes, almost stumbling off the stage. But we both knew that his time was up, and he had nowhere to run now.

The moment before I struck at his throat, the Eagle Vision brightened to a nearly painful level, only to disappear, leaving me to stare at the shocked and terrified face of the corrupt lawyer I was sent to kill. I smiled with glee, insane satisfaction filling me, pushing away all the anger or frustration I felt before that moment.

The deadly, thin line opened suddenly over his throat, his bloody gurgling filling my ears as his eyes rolled back into his head. My blade was stained with more fresh blood. In the few moments of shock that followed, I heard Ezio's voice speak clearly in my mind, and I repeated the words out loud along with him.

"_Requiescat in Pace_."

* * *

I glanced behind me, looking past the guards to the band of thieves at the ready. Smirking, and without further lingering, I took off.

"Now...for the ammunition..." Leonardo muttered thoughtfully, "And it's done! Ezio?"

"Huh?" the man blinked, forcing everything to come back into focus as Leonardo handed him his bracer back.

"It's finished! Go on, test it out. My assistant already set up dummies for you outside." Leonardo seemed eager to find out if the weapon worked, running through the instructions fast. Ezio gingerly put the bracer back on, looking over it. The design was somewhat strange to him, not the same as Eden's firearms, though very similar once you looked closer. It was thin and elegant, made completely out of metal, but it had the same shape and trigger. As with the rest of the blades, the mechanism included a spring, which jumped out when needed, and could be easily concealed.

He found the small garden beside the canal easily, and noted the three dummies that were erected on the other side of the canal. From where he stood, they were too far away for a throwing knife. And though he had confidence in his ancestor, he remembered what Eden said. Pistols were not due to come around for another century, so perhaps this one was not even functional.

Popping the pistol out of his bracer, he raised it, feeling somewhat foolish, but still aiming towards the dummy to the left of him. Tensing and bracing himself for the inevitability of blowing for his arm off, he pulled the trigger. There was the very loud sound of a gunshot, and the leg of the dummy jerked violently.

"Your aim sucks," a familiar, thoughtful voice sounded. He looked around, and then up, not bothering to hide his grin of recognition. Eden sat on the balcony up above with her legs crossed, her eyes wandering over the dummies. "Pass it here." After a moment of confusion, he took it off and tossed it up her. She examined it, looking it over and clicking it open. When she shot, the dummy continued to stand for one moment, shuddering as if in its final throes, and then fell into the water down below, a round hole right through its head.

"It's a decent pistol, though the recoil is pretty bad," she said aloud, continuing to examine it. "Amazing that Altair could come up with it almost three centuries before it was officially invented." She looked down to meet Ezio's eyes, as he'd been staring at her since she showed up. Then she lightly jumped down to the ground beside him, giving him back the bracer. "I can show you how to use it properly, if you want."

It took him a moment to respond. "Sure," he finally nodded, "Let's just hope no one hears it."

"Yes, and lets also hope that your arm won't get blown off. I hear it's unpleasant."

"That's an - optimistic prospect," he said, swallowing. "And what are the chances of it happening, exactly?"

She smirked, her eyes fixing on the bracer. "As a colleague of mine once said, the less you know, the more enthusiasm you eat with. Now, the concept is fairly simple. You aim, you shoot. And don't forget to reload it after every shot."

"You don't."

"It's a different type of gun. Yours isn't designed to hold more than one bullet at a time."

"_Va bene_."

"Now, raise your arm." He complied. "Hold it aligned to your target. Aim for the head, or the heart. Though with humans, the stomach is good too, even if it takes longer. Before you pull the trigger, make sure it's dead on, because you don't want to waste bullets. And keep your hand out of the way, like you would with your blades."

He did so, aiming for the second dummy's head carefully, as she did. With throwing knives, you hardly ever got the exact target you were going for, which was why sometimes one needed to aim higher or lower. But the pistol was completely accurate - you hit exactly what you aimed for. With another gunshot, the dummy fell into the water. A dog somewhere nearby began to bark, almost as though in response.

"And there you go," she stated. He finally looked her over, his conversation with Leonardo still in his mind. She looked tired, but strangely serene, even with the blood coloring her shirt and skin.

"How did everything go?" he asked, guessing what the change in her mood was brought on by.

"As good as can be expected," she smiled. And then she looked away from him, towards the city. He realized it was completely dark by now, but lanterns were lit all over the streets, the sounds of music and revelers carrying on not far away. "The _Carnivale_ had started. And I think it's time to get to work. Marco is not wasting time."

"Let's get back inside, I think I still need to find myself a mask," he stated. She nodded in silent reply, contently falling into step beside him once again.

"I'll have to wear a dress, won't I?" Eden seemed to dislike the idea, though she stated before that she didn't have a problem with dresses.

"I'm afraid so. They are most likely looking for you now, too. And you'll just stand out even more if you're the only woman that's _not_ in a dress."

"I really don't like the look of those dresses, though. They seem so uncomfortable, and probably as restricting as hell," she grumbled under her breath, eying a passing woman with distaste. Ezio shrugged, unsure how to help out in that topic. Considering the most he knew of dresses was how to take them off women, he never contemplated that part of it. But for obvious reasons, he did not comment on that.

"You said you wore dresses before."

"Yes. But if I wear them in this time, people will think I'm a prostitute. Things are a bit more simple in the future, you see." She crossed her arms, and he tried his hardest not to blush at that mental image.

"Leonardo, lookie what I brought," he called to the artist as they walked through the doors. The man looked up, eager to find out the results of his tests. He nodded to Eden in greeting, before his gaze focused on the bracer.

"Well? How does it work?"

"Like a charm. You've done me good, brother!" Ezio smiled, clapping Leonardo on the back. Leonardo's face lit up with enthusiasm, proud of his work, and he hugged Ezio in return. Eden couldn't help the smile that came to her face, genuinely touched by the show of friendship. Ezio was very happy with the new addition, though he needed a bit more practice with it until he could use it as fast as Eden could. "Now," he continued, "About that mask."

"Of course - let me see here..." Leonardo handed Ezio back the codex, and began to search through his drawers. Finally, he pulled out a small stock of masks. At Eden's raised eyebrow, he gave a little cough. "I was trying something."

"Right," she smiled. "Before we go, can I wash this off? Mask or no, I think people might notice," she gestured to the blood stains on her face. Leonardo nodded, and she walked off towards the internal rooms.

"But you hardly came here to play with new toys, right?" Leonardo asked as Ezio put on the simple black and silver mask, pulling his hood back on. "Is this about this horrible new Doge, _si?_ Then you'll want to see your friend Antonio." Ezio actually hasn't seen Antonio for around a week, as he seemed to be spending a lot of his time either buried in paperwork, or out of the Seta. Though Eden somehow managed to scrape a contact off of him, openly taking advantage of the fact that Ezio couldn't even show his face on any of the major streets without setting the guards off.

"Actually, I've been seeing a lot of him at a - mutual friend's," Leonardo nearly stammered, giving another cough. "Just ask for Sister Teodora. She lives south of here, in the Dorsoduro District."

"Sister?"

"You'll see."

"Are we off, then?" Eden walked back into the room, her skin now clean of blood, though there was quite a bit remaining on her clothes. "I don't suppose she would have a dress I could borrow?"

"Well, talk to her, though you might not like her...selection." Leonardo was dancing around some point, and Ezio was intrigued.

"How far away is it?" I asked, gripping my cloak around myself tightly, "I feel like we aren't even going in the right direction."

"That's because we aren't."

"What?"

"Well..." his voice suddenly became thoughtful, and distracted, "There's- someone I want to see."

"Oh?" I raised an eyebrow, curious. "You look nervous. We aren't going to meet a Templar right now, are you? Because we already agreed that's a bleak prospect."

"Uh, no. Just an old friend." He offered me his arm, which I accepted with a sigh.

"An old friend? Here, in Venice?" I wasn't sure what he was getting at. "Listen, Ezio, if you want to ditch me, just say so."

"No! Actually, I think it's better if you come with me," he hurried to say.

"Then who the hell are you meeting?" I was starting to get a little impatient.

"Oh, fine. Leonardo told me that Cristina Vespucci - or, Arzenta, now - is in Venezia."

"Cristina?" I didn't remember him ever mentioning her.

"Yes…she and her husband are guests of Leo's patron. They're here for the _Carnivale_." He visibly winced at the word "husband".

"And why do you care?"

"I-" That stumped him, and he hesitated in replying, so I connected the dots by myself.

"You slept with her, didn't you?"

"Well…yes. But it's not what you think," he stated. I felt unease grow in my stomach ever since it was established that his "old friend" was a woman. "I - Can you please wait here?" he suddenly asked as we entered a large square that was filled with colorfully dressed people. I shifted my eyebrows together under the mask, but nodded.

I wasn't sure what he was doing. But I stayed on my spot for a moment, pretending to be engrossed in the minstrel's hoarse, the-cats-are-dying sort of singing as I watched Ezio out of the corner of my eye. He walked gracefully past the dancers, heading to the church that stood towering over the square.

I was curious, maybe too much. I knew this was none of my business, and yet I followed him. I didn't know who Cristina was. Or why he wanted to talk to her, how he would even get her to come, and who she was to him. But hell, I wanted to find out. He was distracted, which made it easier for me to follow him as he met up with someone in front of the church.

Cristina was a beautiful, richly dressed woman with artful, dark curls falling to her shoulders, the back partially pinned up. Like many noble women at the Carnival, her mask was colorfully designed, in perfect harmony with the rest of her outfit. When Ezio approached her, she looked up at him, and took of the mask, revealing her slightly confused expression. Whoever she was waiting for, it was not him.

I felt another pang of jealousy. The girl was younger than me, with a face that one would expect to see on an angel. I could swear I'd seen her before somewhere. A painting from this era that'd survived into my time, maybe? Great, she'd probably been some famous painter's model who'd been committed to the ages, in oils on canvas…interesting "old friends" Ezio had.

The said assassin slowly reached up, and pulled off his own mask, making the girl do a double take. Then she let out a small gasp.

"Ezio?"

"Cristina," he nodded in confirmation.

"What the hell are you doing here?" She seemed too stunned to remember that such language was unbecoming of a young lady.

"I'm sorry. I was afraid you wouldn't come at all if the note told the truth," he bowed his head slightly.

"I - Of course I wouldn't have come! Ezio, I haven't heard from you in nearly a year!"

"I was - busy."

"That's not what you said back then," she argued, "You said you would leave Italy with your family."

"I intended to, but there was a change of plans. And I see you married Manfredo." I noted with surprise that his voice shook slightly.

"You _left_! And my father was quick to find me a suitor! And you didn't even bother to come back or even write when you heard about the engagement!"

"He loves you-"

"And I loved _you_!" she interrupted. "_Cazzo!_Don't seek me out again, Ezio! It's just…just…too hard. You obviously lead a different life now!"

She was about to leave, but he desperately reached out, catching her elegant wrist lightly. "Cristina, I-"

She pulled out of his grip. "No, Ezio. There was a time you had me in the crook of you finger, but now – Goodbye, _buena fortuna_."

She put her mask back on, and disappeared into the crowd, leaving Ezio standing alone. I licked my lips, uncertain how to react to the scene I witnessed.

"And there you go," he muttered, turning towards me. He didn't seem too upset, but generally disappointed. This certainly did not go the way he wanted. "I guess I should have expected that," he sighed, closing his eyes and pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment. I didn't think I'd ever seen him so…emotionally exhausted.

"Why did you assume it would go differently?" I quietly asked. It was not the most sensitive thing to open with, but I was curious.

He chewed on his lip as he watched my face carefully, before saying, "I thought it was all for the best. I just wanted to end it on good terms. Not…like that."

"Do you still love her?" I asked, my voice hardening slightly.

"I don't know. Maybe I never did. Maybe I still do. It doesn't matter any more, though." He looked up at the sky. I followed his gaze automatically. Little sparks suddenly shot up from the city, exploding in the air above with a loud pop. Many people looked up with amazement, children began to laugh excitedly, and a few dogs barked somewhere in the background.

"Beautiful, aren't they?" I asked, smiling as I watched the colorful showers that brightened the sky.

"Yes, they are." When I looked back at Ezio however, he was not looking up anymore, but staring intently at me. I fidgeted under his gaze slightly.

"Well, we best get going, then. We still need to find this Sister Teodora." He nodded, sparing the fireworks another glance before taking the lead, me falling into step beside him.

* * *

I crossed my arms, looking up at the colorful building that had a very familiar scent to it. "You know, I did not figure Leonardo to be the type of guy."

"What makes you say that? He's a man, isn't he?"

I shrugged. "I read somewhere that he was - Actually, never mind, it's really his business. But let's just say, I doubt that there's anything in this building to interest him aside from the food."

He froze for a few moments, and then looked at me in shock. "What?"

"Nothing at all. Come on, ladies first," I gestured for him to walk inside, and after a quick glare, he complied. The inside of the building was much like Paola's brothel back in Florence, complete with the smell and girls with most of their cleavages hanging out of their dresses. They paid Ezio special attention, their eyes longing and their movements very suggestive. I clenched my teeth when I saw he was eying them, as well. I _really_ needed to get the whole jealousy thing under control...

"I really think we got the wrong building."

"I really think we didn't," I jerked my head towards the corner of the room, where Antonio was enjoying the company of two pretty girls and a goblet of wine. Beside them stood a woman, who was indeed dressed as a nun. Though I really, _really_ doubt nuns showed off that much skin.

Generally, I did not like women like her, with the sleek shiny hair, expensive jewelry, lace and frills, and a generous bust she was only too willing to show off to _everyone._ And I didn't like priests or nuns, either. Mostly because the ones I'd met wanted to either "put me back on the path" of something, or tried to kill either me or my friends. But Teodora was not exactly someone you'd call a faithful supporter of the church, considering she owned a brothel. Besides that, she had a kind smile, warm eyes, and an overall aura of comfort that I'm sure her...customers appreciated.

"Antonio!" Ezio called, and the thief and turned towards us, detaching himself from the girls for a moment. Then he furrowed his eyebrows. Ezio took off his mask, showing his face, and Antonio's expression cleared.

"Ezio! Teodora, let me introduce you the most talented man in Venezia!" he introduced with enthusiasm, toasting the assassin. I crossed my arms and snorted, but didn't add anything.

"Madonna- Ah," Ezio finally understood. "_Sister_ Teodora. Antonio, I never imagined you as the religious type."

"That depends on how you view religion, my son." Teodora's voice was deep and musical. "It's not men's souls alone that require solace."

I wasn't sure what she meant by that, even after spending a few moments trying to chew it over. Ezio seemed to be just as confused, but he didn't show it. Meanwhile, the woman's eyes slid over to me, and a small smile quirked on her lips. There was recognition in her eyes, and I assumed that Antonio told her of me previously.

"Now! Ezio, we have to-" Antonio was suddenly interrupted but a loud scream, as one of the doors flung open, and a dirty, blood soaked man with wild eyes darted across the room towards the doors. Ezio and I tensed the moment the noise began, Antonio sobered instantly, and Teodora shifted her eyebrows together, surprisingly cool with the situation.

"Someone, stop him! He slit her throat and stole her money!" a woman yelled from the room.

"Well, Ezio, let's see just how talented you are!" Teodora spoke fast just as the maniac reached the doorway. I left the situation to Ezio, and hurried to the bedroom, where two girls were, one clutching the other on the floor, weeping loudly. The bed behind them was soaked with blood. I dropped down, pushing the crying woman away, and making a quick check, but it was too late. The courtesan was dead, and even if she wasn't, there wasn't much I could do - the cut on her throat was shallow and uneven, but nonetheless lethal. I let out a short breath, picking her up after a moment of effort.

I heard a gunshot, much louder than any of my guns, a yelp, a heavy thud, and then another short scream of surprise. Ezio was recovering from the recoil, while everyone in the room tried to comprehend what just happened.

"Is she…is she dead?" one of the courtesans asked, as if not believing her eyes. I nodded, gently lowering the body onto the table that was hastily cleared of everything. I immediately took a step away as the idle girls fluttered around their dead sister, crying all over the body while cleaning up the blood.

Antonio was not very impressed with the turn of events. "Why is it wherever you go, trouble follows? And what sorcery did you use to bring him down?"

"No sorcery, just a secret." Ezio reloaded the weapon, and tucked it away, seemingly proud of himself. "Antonio, I trust you know why we're here?"

"I assume you want to rid us of Marco Barbarigo. But really, Ezio, we've done this once already!"

"Then we will do it again!" I muttered, looking at the man sourly. I wasn't sure what crawled up his pants, considering he trusted Ezio and me just fine before.

He ignored me. "The man is scared stiff. And with the recent murder of Cecilio - by the way, my thanks, Eden - right in front of him, he's even more paranoid. He surrounds himself with guards, and barricades himself inside the palazzo, never leaving it."

"No - except for the Carnivale," Teodora suddenly intervened, "He wouldn't dare to miss it."

"How do you know this?" Ezio raised an eyebrow, coming closer.

"Teodora has her finger on the very pulse of Venice," Antonio waved a hand, dropping back into his seat.

"In fact," she continued, "He is throwing a massive party. No expense has been spared, as he wants to buy the people's favor, even if he cannot earn it. According to my spies, he has even ordered fireworks from China!"

I caught Ezio's eye and looked away, smirking discretely. Considering the pistol that Leonardo easily developed in a few hours, neither of us had doubts that he could create fireworks for the Doge for a whole lot cheaper price.

"How do I get invited to this party?" Ezio asked the woman.

"You will need a golden mask to get you in. And before you think of forging one-" she seemed to be reading his mind as he opened his mouth to say something, and then shut it again. "Each one is numbered. But I think it's possible that we can win you a mask. Come, walk with me. Both of you." She noticed that I was unsure whether or not to follow, and made the decision for me.

She led us away from the others, leaving Antonio to sulk in a corner. We all made our way into a secluded garden at the back of the brothel, not unlike Paola's, except with a fountain in the middle. The peaceful sound of water flowing down over the multicolored stones inlaid in the white marble washed over our ears. Teodora took a careful seat on one of the benches, while I climbed onto the border of the fountain, charmed by the reflection of the colorful lanterns bobbing on the water.

"The are holding special carnival games open to all tomorrow," she stated. "There are four events, and the winner will be awarded a golden mask, as well being an honorary guest to the party. You _must_ win it, Ezio, for access to the party gives you access to Marco Barbarigo. And when you go, I'd advise you to take that little spitfire of yours, for you won't get close enough to knife him, be sure of that."

"May I ask a question?" Ezio inquired. I played with the water, listening to the conversation going on. Until I was needed, there was no point in interfering.

_Oh, how low I've fallen..._

"You can try. I cannot guarantee an answer."

"I am curious. You wear the habit of a nun, and yet clearly you are no such thing."

_Well, some people have a fetish for this sort of thing..._I spared their ears of my thoughts.

"How do you know that? I assure you, my son, that I am married to the Lord."

_You must not be a very faithful wife, then._

"But I don't understand. You are also a courtesan. Indeed, you run a bordello."

"I see no contradiction. How I choose to practice my faith, what I choose to do with my body - those are my choices, and I am free to make them."

_And that, ladies and gentlemen, was how witch burning started._

"Like so many young women, I was drawn to the Church." I looked around at her, shocked. _You mean, girls actually picked it on their own free will?_ She ignored my look of bewilderment, and continued. "But gradually I became disillusioned with the so-called believers in this city. Men only hold God as and idea in their heads, and not in the depths of their hearts and bodies. Do you see what I am getting at? Men must know how to love in order to attain salvation. My girls and I provide that knowledge to our congregation. Of course, no imaginable sect of the Church would agree with me, so I was obliged to create my own. It may not be traditional, but it works, and men's heart grow firmer in my care."

"Among other things, I imagine."

I snorted loudly, mentally applauding Ezio. And they say jokes like that didn't come in until the twentieth century...

"You are very cynical, Ezio. Come back tomorrow, and we'll see about those games. And Eden, we need to find you proper wear. You can't very well walk around looking like you massacred a small village." I looked down, and agreed with her. Considering all of my murderous exploits over the last few months, blood continued to build up on my clothes. Soon, even the cloak wouldn't help hiding it.

"Well, I guess I will look like a prostitute after all. Just so everyone knows, if someone tries to pay me for a night, I am going to castrate him," I declared, hopping off the fountain and shaking the water off my hand. I had a pretty clear idea of the dresses in a brothel. But hey, at least I wouldn't have to worry about them restricting my movements. "That includes you, Ezio," I offhandedly added.

He almost looked disappointed. "Oh, please, _signorina_. As if you could." The retort was somewhat childish, and I flashed him a huge smile.

"You really don't want to find out. And besides, you couldn't afford me." I followed Teodora back inside. "I'll see you later."

"Wait, how long is it going to take?"

I paused, turning around slightly, and raised an eyebrow. "Do you really want to know?"

"-Yeah, I'll see you later," he surrendered, and took off.

Once we were inside, Teodora turned to me, and smiled, as if seeing me properly for the first time. "Safety and peace, sister."

"And to you," I replied as I realized that she was not just a contact to us, but another assassin. I suppose Mario and Antonio told her that I was allowed to know who I was dealing with. Of course, I didn't know everyone, and I met them at about the same time that Ezio did. However, I already learned to check their ring fingers for proof, where they had a burn mark (hey, it could have been worse. Altair wrote something about loosing fingers as part of the initiation...). Teodora's hands were adorned with rings, so I didn't notice it at first.

"Was Cecilio your work?"

"Yes...I guess it was a little stupid to act that close to the Doge, but there was no other opportunity," I wrinkled my nose slightly. "Marco will be on high alert."

"That's something I wanted to talk to you about." She gave instructions to a couple of her to prepare a bath for me, and led me upstairs, into a large bedroom. "While Ezio attempts at the golden mask, we will need to keep the suspicion at bay. Silvio will most likely be supervising. He doesn't like to hide, unlike his cousin, and prefers to oversee things."

"Silvio. The man in the red hood?" I remembered him from the Templar meeting.

"Yes, he is an Inquisitor of the State."

We were momentarily interrupted as the girls brought in a large copper tub. Another group of them came in with large pails of water, and soon, the tub was over half-filled with steaming water. Along with some sort of rich, spicy-smelling, herbs. It was almost as though Teodora knew me from before; the scented water didn't smell flowery or cloying, but surprisingly refreshing and mysteriously enticing, in a good way.

"Shouldn't Ezio know about this?" I raised an eyebrow, pulling off the bloodied clothes, quickly stepping into the tub, and beginning to wash the rest of the blood off myself with relief. I had no issue with Teodora, and I was pretty she couldn't care less about my lack of modesty, as well.

"No, I think it's best for him to concentrate on the events, instead of looking over his shoulder."

"Good thinking. Still, I don't like keeping secrets from him."

"Don't think of it as keeping secrets. Think of it as withholding unnecessary information." I admit, for a nun and "faithful" wife of god, she really knew how to turn supposed sins to mere technicalities. She would've been a great lawyer in my time…

"What do you want me to do?"

"My girls will try their best to distract any of the Templars. But if it comes to it, they will not fight."

"So you want me to cover his back while he plays those carnival games?"

"Yes. We can't afford mistakes right now. The longer Marco lives, the higher risk we're running."

One of the girls brought in a few dresses, laying them out on the bed. I picked out the dark red one that had the most material, though it covered only slightly more than the traditional clothes of courtesans. At the very least my chest would not be hanging out of it. And it was unlikely for people to mistake me for a whore, though I'd hardly pass for a respectable lady. But this was disguise, nothing more. I really couldn't care less what people thought. Hell, if one of the drunk idiots on the streets tried anything, I'd hold to my previous threat, and castrate him.

The dress came with a short, white silken chemise, which I was apparently supposed to put on first. Then came another layer. It was a sleeved, finely woven, long cotton smock, or something. Teodora called it a kirtle, as she laced it up the sides for me, from my waist to my underarms. The courtesans never wore them, preferring to go bare-armed. But again, the nun seemed to know me too well, sensing my reservations about showing so much skin. The slightly billowy sleeves would at least cover my arms, up to the elbow. Affording a sliver of modesty, they would be gathered and puffed in between where the pull-away sleeves were laced separately onto the sleeveless dress, at the shoulders. If anything, I was lucky the sleeves would allow a lot of movement, being just tied on.

Over the kirtle came the bodice, which was essentially a corset. It looked…well, like a lace-up tortured device that I stared at with great dislike and mistrust.

"Do I _really _have to wear that?" I sighed to Teodora, pointing at it accusingly and wrinkling my nose in annoyance.

"Yes," she grinned with a dismissive wave of her hand, "Otherwise, the dress can't fit properly. And you'll look like a mess, unable to blend with the crowd."

"Gee, thanks," I muttered. Apparently, like all women's clothing of the time, the dress was made for a certain, extremely feminine form. Teodora, thank the God, took pity on my ribs, and didn't tighten the lacings at far as they could go. I also had decent posture for the years of running around, and the bodice looked a lot worse than it felt. So as she laced me into that, though it was constricting at first, I grew used to it, settling in. It was also surprisingly useful, as I could easily hide my knives within the layer between the bodice and the dress, which laced up the front as well (I doubt that was the intended benefit, but whatever...). The bodice also did some admittedly…nice things to my general chest area.

Not that I was paying much attention to _that_.

I also ran a brush through the mess that was my hair, which now was past my shoulders in length. Moving behind me, Teodora quickly braided it, winding it through with a matching, red ribbon. Then I placed my mask back on, and took a look in the mirror on the wall.

"Well, not the best, but as good as I can be bothered to put the effort into," I stated. At the very least no one would recognize me.

"Can I assume that this dress will not make it back to me in one piece?" Teodora asked, eying it with some regret, and I smiled in apology.

"I'll pay for it." Teodora did not wrinkle her nose and politely decline, but accepted the money graciously. With a sigh, I lifted up my original shirt, making a mental note to burn it later. I didn't have to buy so many clothes in New York, as most of my work was done from a distance.

The first thing I did when I'd finished dressing was create long slits in the sides of the skirt, leaving the kirtle freely peeking through. It allowed me far more freedom of movement, and various places to hide my weapons. It was common for courtesans to wear daggers on their hips, just in case, but I didn't feel safe with just one blade on me. Teodora frowned slightly at the mutilation of the dress, but didn't say anything.

"Well, I should be off, then. I still have things to take care of tonight," I stated. Then I stopped for a moment, thinking. "Teodora, can I borrow one of your girls for a little bit?"

"Of- why?"

"Oh, no! Nothing like that!" I hurried to explain, finding myself blushing, though I quickly waved it away. "No, I just need some help with avoiding the guards while I make sure everything is secure tomorrow. The Templars know we'll attempt something, and it's like them to set up a trap."

"Then of course," she seemed to sigh with relief. Probably not a lot of requests of that nature from females. "Is there anything else?"

I considered it, but shook my head. "No. Thanks for…well, everything." She returned my smile, and I made my way outside once again.


	26. Chapter 25

I looked up crossly, and humphed.

"Again?" Diana asked wearily, following my gaze up to the poster that hung above on the wall. I nodded. She sighed, opened her fan, and purposefully exposed her leg through the side-slit of her dress. The supposedly careless gesture certainly did its job, making every male eye turn in lust, and a few female ones narrow in jealousy. Diana was, as much as any courtesan, a very curvy and seductive woman. Her form, outlined within the tight bindings of her bodice and the slashed skirts of her gown, left very little to imagination. Which was perfect, because when she was around, no one, and I mean _no one_ bothered look up at, or notice the insane woman climbing up the crates to tear down posters.

I reached up, snatching off the poster glued weakly to the wall. Crumpling it up and throwing the offending piece of paper away from me, I climbed back down cautiously. I was careful not to further rip or destroy the dress anymore than I'd already did, and so far, it was going well.

The insane idea to tear down posters in the middle of the night came to me when I realized that mask or no, Ezio's trademark hood and the Assassins' symbol were easily recognized. Not to mention, he put very little effort into changing his outfit. Aside from that, Teodora's girls were also out in droves, gathering information around the district just in case they heard any new developments. For now, though, everything was going as planned.

As had been the case for the last few days, and apparently, over the next few weeks, Venice would be celebrating all night. The fireworks lit up the entire city, the streets dressed as colorfully as its citizens. Music did not falter for one moment through all of the hours that Diana and I traveled through the district. The dancing and cavorting continued, threatening to last until morning; once the sun rose, everything would go quiet until around mid-afternoon, only to start right back up again.

Let's just say the Italians certainly liked to get their party _on_.

I can't say Diana was very pleased with missing the celebration. The only thing keeping her at my side was Teodora's orders. And something else that I discovered when she got over her initial fear of me, and began to ask her questions. Most of them had a very specific topic – Ezio damned Auditore. The only way to shut-up her obvious crushing over him was to tell her to go and distract a hungry looking patch of guards, giving me a moment to take down posters, or simply catch my breath. She liked her job well enough, though. If only because any proper, or simply sane woman would keep as far away as possible from the not only undressing, but devouring eyes of guards. But to her, it was almost like dinner was served.

So, basically, either she felt safe enough to remain in earshot of an assassin (oh, the irony), or she simply didn't mind getting it on in the nearest alley or haystack. I liked to think it was the former.

But I was soon tempted to scare the living lights out of her again, just so she would shut-up about the idiot I had the misfortune of falling in love with!

"I think I'm done here," I stated, cutting her off ("-And those strong arms! _Jesu Cristo,_ what a sight, mmm-").

"Well, finally!" she grinned, "I was starting to get oh, so lonely..."

"And I'm sure there's a set of arms and pants calling your name." Before she skipped off, however, I suddenly stopped her. "Diana, could you please keep away from Ezio?"

"What? Why- Oh!" Understanding dawned on her face, and I blinked, realizing how that sounded.

"Uh….I mean…that he'll…be busy tomorrow," I quickly recovered, "And he needs his head in the game."

"Right," she grinned after a moment, shrugging and swaggering off.

Though I'd lied to her, I could still see one more piece of paper with Ezio's face on it on the corner of the building nearby. This one, unlike the others, was actually hung low, where people could _actually read it_. Once it was off, I sighed and stretched. I was tired. Though by now, going for days without sleep, keeping myself awake with the crappy excuse for coffee that Antonio had, and the occasional adrenaline spikes was all paying off. I didn't feel much fatigue, and was running on instinct now. I could actually probably go for a fight at any moment, even in the dress.

All of a sudden, my intuition tugged. My head snapped in the direction of an alleyway a few feet beyond me, as if someone hollered my name into my ears. A loud shriek echoed from the dark, narrow passage in between the buildings where Diana had disappeared. The next moment I broke into a run, turning into the mouth of the backstreet sharply, my fingers already caressing the handle one of my knives hidden between my bodice and the dress. She'd wandered far from the crowds by that point, and I suddenly wished I could turn on Eagle Vision by will. I could now hear loud drunken laughter, and Diana whimpering and squealing. A loud slap sounded. I continued to run, careful not to crash into anything.

My eyes finally got used to the almost complete darkness, and I saw them. The courtesan was pushed up against the wall by an armored man, two more behind him, laughing at the woman's pain. My hand tightened on the closest throwing knife, which I'd completely unsheathed.

The drunk men didn't even see me coming. I carefully hurled two knives into their throats from behind, and kicked the two down. They fell with quiet grunts, gurgling on their own blood and slowly drowning in it - speedily finishing them off ensured they wouldn't scream for help, or attract any attention. I'd just turned towards the last guard, but to my surprise, I saw only Diana. Standing by the wall, a bloody dagger flashed in her hand, the body at her feet spasming in its death throes.

"You alright?" I quietly asked, lifting up the skirts of my dress away from the blood that I was sure began to spread along the ground. It took her a moment to reply.

"Y-yes," she stammered, face deathly pale, even as she sheathed her weapon. "Thank you! I think you just saved my life..."

She was right - I doubted the men would have been very gentle with her. Unfortunately, like many rape victims, she would have probably been dead within an hour. Or maybe they'd just slit her throat after they were done to avoid any complications. My fists clenched as I added a hateful kick to one of the bodies. It made me feel slightly better. Grabbing Diana's hand, I steered her back out onto the lit streets, putting as much distance between the bodies and us as possible.

"Was that your first kill, then?" I asked absently, unsure of what else to say. To my surprise, she shook her head.

"No, I've done it before. Teodora taught us a few things..."

"Ah. Of course," I rolled my eyes. Considering Teadora was one of the apparent brotherhood, it made sense that the courtesans would contain a little bit of training on how to handle themselves. Diana seemed only slightly shaken, and from the pain rather than shock. I took a wild guess that she had her fair share of rough handling. "But it seems like the thing she failed to teach you is not walk around in the narrow alleys at night. Especially if you can wear a skirt without people laughing at you." After a moment, she giggled, and I calmed down completely. "Come on, I'll get you back to the brothel. It's dawn already, and I want to get some sleep before we start rolling."

"Where do you spend the nights?" she asked, falling into step beside me, and seemingly afraid to actually wander away from me, at least for now.

"Lost of places. Mostly Antonio's palace, at the Seta. But sometimes-" The conversation became more friendly now, to my slight surprise. She was listening to me with sudden interest, and I found myself talking more easily, now that it wasn't based solely on Ezio.

Soon, we made it back to Teodora's brothel. I didn't even bother coming in, bidding Diana goodbye, and going back to the Seta, already half asleep. I'm not sure how I actually ended up on my bed, free of the dress and curled up in the blankets. But before I drifted off to sleep, I absently noted that I missed the life-sized, and very comfortable pillow that was Ezio.

---

It was around noon, and it was more quiet than ever in the streets. The fireworks stopped as soon as the sun began to rise, because no one could see them in the daylight properly, anyway. Everyone decided to take a break from the celebration. Right now, the entire town slept, likely to get over their hangovers and back to their proper beds. However, I knew the peace and quiet would only last for about an hour longer. I had about five hours of sleep at the Seta, waking up, dressing, and then immediately heading out again. Ezio was no where around yet, though.

"Teodora!" I greeted, raising my hand to the woman as I waltzed into the square that would hold the carnival games_._

"Ah, there you are!" she smiled, folding her hands in front of her. She still wore a nun's clothes, a heavy cross hanging right in between her breasts. She was looking around at the set up thoughtfully before I showed up, and it seemed that she did not come to any conclusion in that time. "And who is this?"

"Oh! This is Adel," I told her, looking down to the little girl hanging off my arm, looking around curiously. "Adel, this is Teodora."

"Hello," Adel said politely, smiling up at the woman.

"I hope you don't mind, I just thought she'd like to see the sights." I paused for a moment, looking around. They were setting up the courses and games that Ezio would participate in. "So what's going to happen?"

"There are four games, and whoever wins all four, will get the gold mask," she reminded me. "Hopefully, Ezio can do that."

"What are the events?"

"Hmm. I'm not sure, but by the look of things, a race, a fight, some sort of social competition, and something about capturing flags."

""Capture the Flag"? Are you serious?" I remembered playing that game in gym, the place where I had just the _warmest_ memories of. Except not. "Well, then he should have no problems."

"Perhaps. But our job is to make sure that no one gets any ideas."

"Because how many assassins in white robes and armed to the teeth run around the place?" I stated sarcastically.

"Not many," she replied, and the corners of her lips twitched. _Whadda ya know? The nun has a sense of humor. That's a first.._."My girls are already stationed all over the district," she continued. "If anything...unexpected happens, they'll be the first to know, and through them, so will we. Your job-"

"Is to make sure no one decides that Ezio's back is just begging for a knife. Yes, got it," I said dully. "And what about Adel? I can't exactly keep an eye on her at all times, and we still think there might be someone after her."

"Hmm," she looked at the child thoughtfully. The girl did not shrink away from her gaze, but returned it head on. Then Adel looked up at me.

"Can I just play here?"

I almost forgot that she hasn't been outside for ages. Her parents never let her out of their apartment, and then we were hiding out in Antonio's palace. She'd only really seen civilization properly when I took her out to the market with me, and now when I thought she'd at least want some fresh air. Everything, from the bright colors, to the streamers and decorations along the buildings, to the jugglers, acrobats, and fire-eaters on the streets excited her.

Only one thing worried me slightly. She didn't go near any of the other children, looking at them as if from an ivory tower. Or sometimes, curious and almost afraid. She didn't care for the usual childish games of tag or patty cake, or whatever other games kids played. Instead, she preferred to play with the water of the fountains and pat the cats that walked back and forth along the streets, all in proud solitude.

"Adel," I picked her up, and lifted her onto the tall bench beside us, so that we were face to face, "I would let you if I could, you know that. But-"

"There are bad people that might hurt me," she sighed sadly, finishing for me.

"Exactly. So either you're within my sight at all times, or I'll cart you back to the Seta."

"And how would you find me?" she tilted her head to the side, blinking at me cockily.

"I have my ways. But as it stands, you won't go into the streets alone, okay?"

"But if you could find me, then it would be okay for me to wander, though."

_Smart kid, _I mused, struggling not to smile in order to get my point across. "I already have to keep Ezio safe. If there was two of me, I would let you wander around all you want." I glanced away from Adel for a moment, scanning the courtyard, and suddenly smiled with relief. "Leonardo, your timing is getting loads better!"

The artist, who was making his way towards us, probably to say hello to Teodora, looked at me with some shock. "Eden?" he exclaimed, arching a brow before giving me a warm smile of greeting, "I can hardly recognize you!"

"I'd say the same, but I think you're the only one around here with paint splashes on your mask," I noted with a smile.

"Is there, really?" he sighed, "Oh well, it doesn't matter. Teodora," He respectfully brought his hand to his lips, bowing. She offered a friendly smile, and then he turned back to me. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Do you have anywhere to be?"

"Not…exactly, I just thought I'd come outside for once."

"Good for you!" I clapped my hands together, "Because I need you to baby-sit."

"I'm sorry?" Adel and Leonardo stared at me with the exact same look of confusion, and I almost began to laugh. I crouched down to the girl.

"Adel, this is Leonardo da'Vinci, an artist and engineer. I think you'll like him." Slowly, she nodded, hanging her head slightly. I smiled reassuringly, and straightened out. "Leo, I just need you to keep an eye on her, that's all! Please?"

He looked a little lost as he said, "Alright, I don't have much else to do-"

"Perfect!" I pushed Adel gently towards him, letting out a breath of relief. Another problem solved, then. _Now, where's my main headache...?_

"Teodora! Leonardo!"

_Ah, there he is!_

Ezio dropped down from somewhere above, and caught his breath. Adel let out a squeak, hiding behind Leonardo in surprise.

"Good day everyone - Oh, forgive me, _Signora_, I did not see you there." That was addressed at me…though I could clearly see how he eyed me up and down with obvious, rising appreciation. Well, time to put a stop to that…

"Ezio," I laughed, "What the hell are you smoking, and where can I get some?"

That certainly made him pause. As he stared at me with shock, I felt his eyes travel up and down me again, though this time with surprise. After a moment, in which Teodora gave a small cough and walked away, and Adel began to giggle, I began to feel a little self-conscious under his gaze. I even took my mask off for a moment to prove to him that it really was me, and not someone else.

"_Dio mio! _Holy mother of – E-den, is that you?"

"Holy galloping potatoes, so it is!" I pretended to be shocked, faking a dramatic gasp that made Adel laugh harder. "Seriously, no one seems to recognize me today. You should have seen Antonio's face when he realized who I was, that was just priceless..."

"You look..."

"What? Lovely? Stunning? Absolutely amazing to the point of the sky collapsing and hell freezing over?" I helped him out, still smiling cockily.

"...you're right about hell freezing over, that's for sure..."

"Aren't you the charmer?" I rolled my eyes before turning back to Leonardo. "Think you'll be fine with Adel?"

"Eden, I'm not three!" the girl protested before Leo could reply.

"You're right. You're almost seven, and that's even worse." I playfully swatted at her head before it could get any larger. "Now! Ezio, I've got some work to do…could you go and find Ugo and Rosa? They're around here somewhere. Tell them that the mansion that they wanted to break into has three guard dogs. I can hear them from the outside, so they should find some other target….Ezio?" He was still staring at me, with his jaw hanging open, and eyes growing wider by the second. I furrowed my eyebrows and waved a hand in front of his face. After a long moment, he finally batted it away. "You're getting old," I smirked, "As your reflexes are starting to go-"

"Yeah, yeah, I'm on it."

"What, no witty retort? How utterly disappointing!" I replied, expression comically hurt to show I was kidding. But he didn't reply, still staring. "Anyway," I shrugged, "Glad to see you're still with us. And by the way, there's a message for you in the pigeon coop. Lorenzo is taking advantage of the Carnival, it seems, and has another mission for you. Hurry up, by the way, because the games are starting in a few hours-"

"Eden!" Ezio put his hands on my shoulders, shaking me lightly, "Calm down!"

I blinked in surprise. "What?"

"You're babbling. I already got the message, the target taken care of. Just relax. Breathe," he gestured with a flourish. I rolled my eyes.

"Well, someone has to keep this show going. Antonio came back to the Seta for about an hour at dawn, and then headed straight back to the brothel. Teodora already has her hands full, coordinating the courtesans and sorting all the little tidbits of information they're turning up for us. And I still have stuff to do, people to interrogate, blood to spill, that sort of thing?" He seemed to get the message, as soon we parted ways.

The entire day was hectic. The thieves were taking advantage of the absent citizens (especially the tax collectors that terrorized the people even worse than when Emilio was around) to break into their houses. The courtesans were already filling their pouches with gold rather rapidly, while gathering information. Lorenzo's messages seemed to come in every half-hour or so, due to all the nobles and Templars coming in for the _Carnivale. _After a while, it really all began to feel like our side was putting in more effort into the entire affair than the nobles.

A few mercenaries also took initiative to patrol the backstreets in case some drunkard, or overly bold guard tried to take advantage of a girl who was stupid enough to wander off that far from the crowds. Surprising, as in my opinion, it was awfully nice of them to do so for free. Even though they were pretty much drunk for the last two days. When I asked if this was how every carnival was, I got a very uncertain answer, to which I concluded that yes, this was exactly the way it went every year.

And there were also the girls flitting up to Teodora every moment, whispering something in her ear. While some times it was nothing, a few times, I actually had to go out and hunt someone down. All while trying my hardest not to get any blood on my clothes (thank God I chose a red dress). All in all, it was exhausting, as I did not stand around idly. And then, of course Silvio was making things difficult...

Hectic, as I said.

-----

"_Signora_, would you like to take part in the competitions?" the announcer of the carnival games approached me, as I was standing all alone, away from the other women. I raised my eyes to him with some surprise.

"Depends on what's required of me." I didn't really pay much attention to the set up of the competitions - I was more concerned with keeping a sharp eye out.

"All the ladies of the district get a ribbon to give to the man of their choice," he exclaimed, holding out a red ribbon to me. I took it from him with a little hesitation. Well, that made things even easier, as far as blending in. I knew there had to be _some_ perks of wearing a dress...

"If you say so," I shrugged my shoulders. I wasn't sure what to do with it, so I made one of the most obvious choices when you have no pockets, but a low cut dress neckline. The man looked at me with some surprise, but did not say anything. I took a wild guess that the other ladies didn't do something like that...

Speaking of the other women, the masked, perfumed, painted, curled, fluffed up damsels were bunching in groups, fluttering their eyelashes at every passing man. I knew the type of girls - they could blush on command, looking god-knew-why supposedly appealing and shy. They feebly fanned themselves, swooning, and smiling coyly. I didn't bother to put up an appearance, instead using my own fan (also bought off Sister Teodora) to further hide my face as I slowly patrolled around the perimeter of the square, confidently moving through the crowds as usual.

Silvio disappeared somewhere, and it was making me nervous. Dante stood in plain sight, as still as a statue, and about as responsive as one. The only part of him that was moving was his eyes - they continuously scanned through the crowds. I avoided his gaze as much as I could; I was fairly sure I was not recognizable, but I really didn't like the way they froze my insides any time they settled on me. I kept an eye on him, though I doubted very much that he'd try anything, aside from the competitions. The lifeless look in his eyes didn't exactly scream "mastermind." Silvio was the one pulling all the strings.

And...back to Silvio.

Ezio really had no idea how much effort was being put into the entire operation. Antonio had some thieves working as lookouts on the roofs. Teodora had girls stationed throughout this section of the city, keeping their eyes and ears wide open. Meanwhile, Rosa, Ugo and me patrolled the major squares in search for any sign of the Barbarigo. Granted, the thieves were a little reluctant to tear themselves away from the many empty, unguarded, and most likely, loaded houses. But they helped us nonetheless.

"No sign of him yet," I muttered to Teodora as I reached her again. "Perhaps he decided that this was a waste of time, and went home, or to some party?"

"I sincerely doubt it," she replied, holding her hands clasped elegantly in front of her, "Silvio dislikes celebrations for some reason, and there's very little that would tear him away from his work."

"Not even a woman?" I raised an eyebrow, smirking. She smiled slightly, as well.

"Considering he thinks of women as weak, pathetic wenches that don't deserve to walk the streets openly, there's little chance of that."

"Sounds like a stand up guy," I crossed my arms. "Where is Ezio?"

She looked at me with some surprise. "I'm not sure - I thought you would know."

I blinked, and looked around again, trying to focus the newly acquired Eagle Vision. Regretfully, my vision did not go dark and glowing. So instead of trying to force the elusive talent, I worked with what I had. Closing my eyes, I leaned back onto the stone rails, concentrating on the tiny strings I could suddenly feel that seemed to move in accordance to the people around me.

"I found...Silvio," I stated, my voice sounding far-off in the dull roar that'd inexplicably filled my ears. It sounded like my own, slow, steady heartbeat, or the blood coursing through my veins, though it was strangely comforting. Not to mention the fact that I could suddenly hear every conversation going on in the district, which was more than a little distracting. "He's to the west, fairly close," I said, taking a deep breath, "I…I think he's coming back here now."

"That would make sense - the games are about to be announced," Teodora replied. Her voice also sounded oddly far away, though she stood right next to me. "But where is _Messer_ Auditore?"

"Right behind…us?" I opened my eyes, tearing away the strings and looking around. For a moment, I saw no one. And then, I nearly yelped in surprise as Ezio appeared out of nowhere. And for some reason, upside down, laughing as he gracefully and silently dropped down to the earth from the balcony directly above us.

I took a big calming breath as to not punch his face in. "Jesus freaking Christ, Ezio! Don't _do _that!" I ignored Teodora's slightly amused expression, even as she shot him a reproachful glare.

"I'm sorry, _bella mia_," he smiled, and I immediately melted, finally relaxing. "I suppose I'm right on time?"

Before either Teodora or I could answer, the Master of Ceremonies managed to climb onto the stage and announce the beginnings of the competitions loudly. "...and this year, like every year, the grand prize will be a golden mask, which will provide entry for one, and only for one, to our beloved Doge's personal ball! Who would not desire such an exceptional reward? Come! Compete! The one to prove himself champion in all of the four games today will be the Doge's personal guest tonight!"

Well, let the games begin.

---

The first competition was fairly easy for Ezio. The race went through the streets, up onto the roofs, and circled around back to the beginning. He had no trouble with finishing the course with minimal time. Others...not so much. One young man probably only joined to impress a woman or something, but he didn't even make it past the first set of crates. He couldn't reach the ledge and fell to the ground, smashing his nose, only to began to cry. Another bumbling man did not even make it to that point, but tripped over thin air in the first five steps. Another one actually made it onto the roofs, where a very confused guard tried to shoot him. The only other contestant that actually finished the course was Dante, and he arrived at the finish line a good twenty seconds after Ezio's time. His usually blank and expressionless face reddened in anger as Ezio's arm was raised in the air, and he was proclaimed winner of the first game.

Ezio looked over the crowd of cheering citizens, searching for the one person he actually wanted to see. Eden stood at the very back, in the shadow of a puppet show stand. She didn't even look like she was paying any attention, looking around as if expecting something to go wrong at any moment. She glanced up at him, though, as if feeling his gaze, and smiled.

The next game was slightly harder. It required some strategic thinking on his part, as he had to capture and keep the flag until he made it back to his base. Once again, he emerged victorious, with only a few scratches from when he tackled the opponent that made it to the flag a split second before him. The crowd cheered with more enthusiasm, clapping their hands. He caught sight of Silvio and Dante, both looking cross. Teodora was near them, continuously glancing in their direction.

The third game was one of charisma, which made Ezio sigh with relief when he realized what he needed to do. He had to collect ribbons from the ladies of the district, who were smiling coyly nearby. Most had the red ribbons woven into their hair, while others simply held on to them, weaving them through their fingers flirtatiously. Charmed by Ezio's mysterious smirk and smooth voice, they all seemed eager for him to get to them, completely ignoring the remaining participants, much to their distress.

To Ezio's amazement (or not), the only woman who proved a challenge in the entire district, was Eden. She sat beside a group of courtesans, watching his approach so warily that he almost laughed out loud. Her ribbon was tucked into the front of her dress, drawing attention to the low cut of the bodice. He kept his eyes strictly on her face, though, resisting temptation as he sat down beside her. There were still ten minutes left until the time ran out, and she was the last one with a ribbon.

"Ezio! What a pleasant surprise! And there I thought you forgot me!" she chirped, openly mocking him.

"Oh, but how could I forget you, _mia cara?"_ he gleefully retorted, taking her hand in his and lightly brushing his lips over her fingertips in greeting. He swore he felt her flinch, but she made no move to free herself. "You stand out from all the other girls, like a shining diamond amongst pebbles, a red rose in the middle of-"

"Save it," she smiled contently, finally pulling out of his grasp, and leaning her elbows onto the stone railing behind the bench. She also faked a yawn. "You're not exactly the first one that's tried that line on me, you know. I already had three in the last hour."

"Really? I don't see anyone," he looked around. But aside from the courtesans, there was no one around them.

"That's because they gave up," she bared her teeth wolfishly, "Somehow, I managed to scare them away. I'm saddened - these are grown men, how could they be afraid of feeble old me?"

"Feeble?" he knowingly chuckled.

Reaching over, he ran a hand up her side, and thought he felt her shiver. "Hmm. Let's see. Five throwing knives on each side, _si?_" Still sitting, but positioning himself in front of her so that no one could see what he was doing, his hand swiftly traveled between the layers of her skirts. However, he made sure not to touch her skin. "One…no, make that _two_ daggers concealed under the skirts." Moving downwards, his allowed his fingers to fleetingly graze each of her calves before he came to her boots, though his eyes never left hers.

"And…here we go! Two more in your boots. Of course, let us not forget…" Withdrawing, he looked up to her braided hair. "Right!" he crowed in triumph, reaching out and briefly twirling a loose length of it his between his fingers, "Also, extremely sharp hairpins. Is that comb poisoned, too?"

"Shut up," she breathed, finding her cheeks suddenly burning. Thank God the mask concealed most it. "And no, it's just a comb," she stuck her tongue out at him, "I'm not stupid enough to put that in my hair."

"Well, I guessed most of them, _piccola_," he smirked, "Can I have the ribbon now?"

She pretended to think about it. "Well, this was supposed to be a test of charm. So far, I'm not charmed in the slightest."

He noted that the courtesans stopped giggling and cooing for a moment, listening to them intently, as if watching an interesting play. He sighed. "I figured you'd make this difficult."

"Oh, Ezio, it can't be that hard!" she teased. "You have about five minutes to convince me to give you this ribbon, when I've told every other man to basically go to hell and never come back."

"Eden, I'm not every other man, though, remember?"

"No, you're worse!" she narrowed her eyes playfully.

He let out a frustrated breath. "You're impossible."

"What a coincidence, that's what they said, too!" She continued to smile cheerfully. "Actually, they also noted how my heart can't be melted by the warmest of words. And that they don't really care whether or not I give them the ribbon anyway, because there are better, and easier fish in the sea. Please! And those retards expect me to be _flattered_ by that statement. How sad."

_A different approach then?_

"Please?" he made the best puppy look he could possibly manage, making the girls beside them coo and "aw". Eden just began to laugh loudly.

"You're an idiot." She took the ribbon from her dress, and handed it to him, getting up. The moment after it was in his hand, the loud bell rang over the district, signaling the end of the competition. She laughed softly, reaching up under his hood to pat his hair, "I was actually going to just give it to you, but this was a lot more fun. Come on, I've been taking a break anyway, as it was impossible to work with all of you crowding around me like flies."

As he followed her back to the square, he thought that the Master of Ceremonies was right - this was definitely the most enjoyable competition yet.

Sadly, the next one was a huge disappointment. The contestants were supposed to fight each other, unarmed, until only two were left. It was supposed to be based on brute strength, and that was where Dante excelled. Ezio, using a different tactic, was so fast that no one could even land a hit on him, and most of the contestants barely even knew how to fight properly. He made it into the final pair easily, confronting the gigantic bodyguard. There were no breaks in between rounds, and he could see that Dante was tiring slightly.

Out of the corner of his eye, he saw something interesting, in the moment that the brute charged at him. Eden was making urgent gestures to Teodora, who turned towards the jury stand, where Silvio was talking to the judges and the Master of Ceremonies.

---

"I'm sorry Ezio," Teodora finally said, but Ezio did not even pause in his pacing to glance at her, "We couldn't predict Silvio would cheat as he did."

"Yes, but you should have!" Antonio was not very pleased the turn of events, either. I crossed my arms, and glared at him, feeling strangely protective of Ezio. I could tell he was pissed enough as it was; he didn't need any more antagonizing. I, myself, had half a mind to go and kill all of the bought juries, along with Silvio and Dante, ideally in a very bloody manner.

"Well, we've got to do something!" I snapped, "The party starts in a few hours!"

Ezio turned to us once again, the familiar expression of grim determination on his face. "I'll tail Dante on his way there, then, and get the mask back."

"What? By killing the poor_ stronzo_?" Antonio was not impressed.

"Yes. You know what's at stake-"

"No! If you kill him, they'll cancel the party, and Marco will retreat back into his palazzo. We would have wasted our time again!"

I reluctantly agreed with the Master Thief. After all, Dante was Marco's personal bodyguard. It would be easy to figure out what the assassin wanted, and there was no other chance at getting to Marco if they canceled the party.

"My girls are going to the party as well, as entertainers!" Teodora put in, "They will be all along the route. You can use them to distract Dante and steal the mask!"

"_Va bene_," Ezio sighed.

"It won't stop them for long," I noted, worrying my lip. "Knowing the brute, he'll barge in anyway, and alert the guards."

"Yes, but by then it will be too late," Ezio countered, and I slowly nodded.

Antonio just waved his arm in the air in annoyed agreement, and went back to the room, while Teodora gave out orders to her girls. I pulled Ezio's arm, making him sit down on one of the couches, and asked a passing girl for some water.

"You know," I said thoughtfully as I carefully cleaned the blood off his chin, "You can at least try not to split your lip open."

"I don't really get a choice on where I'm hit, Eden," he ground out, still pissed.

"Where did you get that first scar, then?"

"Remember old Vieri?" he raised an eyebrow.

"Vividly. What did you fight over?"

"Lots of things. Our families, our pride, his sister...you know the drill," he shrugged.

"He had a sister? Poor dear..."

"Vieri or the sister?"

"That really depends on how sexist you are," I grinned. "By the way, I think I knew a man with the exact same scar as you," I continued to babble, mostly to distract him from today's disappointment.

"Really?"

"Yep. He was a bartender. Kind of looked a bit like you, in the right light...what was his name? Meh, it doesn't really matter, since I'm pretty sure the name was fake..."

"How do you know?"

"Intuition," I smiled. "Anyway. I only remember him because I asked where he got the scar. Said something about a bar fight...he was a strange guy. Made a good drink, though..."

"Why would he use a fake name?" Ezio didn't seem to understand, and I shrugged.

"The same reason I have fake ID in my bag! You never know when you need to disappear, and it's always easier with a fake name and no traceable connections," I explained, putting away the cloth. Without really thinking about what I was doing, I traced the scar that was right beside the scratch, running my fingers along the corner of his lips. To my surprise, I felt him shudder slightly, and I pulled my hand away, sighing. "Well, I guess you better get going if you want to catch Dante."

"Yes," he spoke a lot more calmly now as he stood up, and I followed him out the door, back into the cool evening air. I immediately straightened out my posture, fixing my step to be more elegant. He put his hand on the small of my back as he steered me through the streets, and I found myself instinctively leaning into him.

"Are you attending the party, then?" he asked at one point. I thought about it.

"I think I can sneak in with Teodora, though I'm not sure if that's gonna fly."

"Actually, it would be better if you were not there."

"Hey! What is that supposed to mean?!" I gripped his sleeve, pulling him to the side.

"Don't get offended. I just meant that it would be better if you kept an eye on the surroundings. Maybe give me a bit more time," he hurried to explain reassuringly. I relaxed.

"Oh, then sure. I don't really want to be there, anyway. There's only going to be a whole bunch of fluffed up nobles talking about politics." I stuck out my tongue to show what I thought of them. He chuckled, and suddenly leaned down to kiss my forehead, before pulling me into a hug.

"What would I do without you?" he asked quietly into my hair.

"Well, go insane, for one thing," I smiled at him brilliantly as he withdrew. "Now go, you have a party to attend! I'll be close by, and Teodora already left for the party. She'll probably meet you there. Stay safe."

"Always."

_"...The feeling you get when you fall in love is indescribable. Like falling somewhere headfirst, not really knowing if you're going to hit the bottom or not, and just enjoying the emotion as you speed up..."_

He began to walk away, and suddenly, I called after him again, making a split second decision. "Ezio! Wait!"

He turned around, and looked at me with some confusion. After a moment of hesitation, I took a few hurried steps towards him. Reaching up, I swiftly took off his and my masks, and then stood on my toes to kiss his scarred and scratched lips gently.

_...Realizing you love someone is like reaching the bottom. But instead of a crash landing, you find that comfort you maybe didn't even realize you were looking for. You just know when you get there. It's a feeling that seems too large to fit your body and mind, filling every little bit of you, healing wounds that you never saw but felt. There is no pain in that moment, even if you're mortally wounded. Only salvation. Hope..._

Ezio stared at me with shock as I smirked at him, and handed him back his mask, taking a step away. He blinked at me, and slowly brought his hand up to his lips, as if unsure if I really just did that. I turned away to leave, when suddenly, he caught my wrist and pulled me back to him, his lips meeting mine once again. Except this time, it was a lot less chaste than the first time. His hands flew to my waist, closing the space between us as I found myself all but yanking him closer by the collar of his doublet.

I had to hand it to him, I decided as I watched him smile, and walk away to his target.

He really knew how to make a girl's world spin.

_About freaking time, _a voice that sounded exactly like Eve's laughed in my head, the usual bitter bite missing. I couldn't hold back a wide grin as I felt my spirits lift even higher.

I was never one to regret something that felt so right. At least, until someone convinced me otherwise...

---

Leonardo let out a frustrated breath as he frantically searched for the little brat Adel. She'd gotten away from him, _again, _openly rebelling against the fact that she still needed supervision. He didn't question Eden's request, keeping the girl within eyesight. But as soon as he got distracted, she would decide to play some hide and seek, where he was graciously given the role of seeker. And it was starting to get a little out of hand...

To think, he crawled out of his workshop for this...and he still had two commissions that were supposed to be done three days ago, just standing there. And now that he thought about it, there were so many things he'd rather be doing instead of searching for a little girl who found it amusing to make him fall into the hay while looking for her.

He finally found her in the square, clapping at the fire-juggler, watching the lights with childish fascination. As Leonardo tried to get to her through the crowd, another entertainer noticed the girl, and did a swift movement, drawing out a bouquet of flowers for her. She took it with musical laughter, and the jester smiled widely through his makeup.

"Adel!"

She turned around, startled slightly, and greeted Leonardo with a wide grin as she clutched the flowers to her chest. "There you are, Leo! You're missing all the fun!"

He spluttered, "I-you-but-" only to give up, slump his shoulders, and decide that the next time he'd see Eden, she'd get an earful.

---

I found Diana as she sat on the railing that bordered the canal, showing off as more skin than the most loose girls of the twenty first century would even dare. She and a few of her friends were flashing suggestive smiles to men, taking pleasure in watching as their wives smacked and slapped their respective partners. It was actually quite entertaining to watch, actually...not that I ever did anything like that. At least, not too many times...

I sat beside her, and crossed my legs. She glanced at me somewhat sourly, but her face cleared when she realized I was not about to drag her through more streets to tear down posters.

"How goes it?" she asked, and I leaned my chin on my hand as I watched a man getting yelled at by the woman that he was dancing with. The courtesans giggled, and I smiled as well, though it felt like I couldn't keep a grin off my face anyway.

"I'm technically supposed to be patrolling around here, but I can't see a damn, so I might as well watch the entrance from a pleasant conversation."

"Aw, all work and no play!" she cooed almost patronizingly, "Get yourself a drink, find a man, and enjoy the _Carnivale_. Or you'll crack down the middle."

I sighed dramatically, "I think I already cracked. Mentally."

"Does this have anything to do with Ezio?" she raised an elegant eyebrow, cocking her head.

"I have no idea what you're talking about, I'm sure," I smirked evasively, and she rolled her eyes.

"Not fooling anyone, sister. A blind man can tell you're smitten." She fluttered her eyelashes, and I shrugged.

"Hmm. Then here's a riddle for you. Who's more blind than a blind man, then?"

"Ezio?" she giggled and I nodded in confirmation.

"How the idiot didn't see it before, I really don't know. Because it seems like the rest of Italy has already picked up on it."

"Oh, we haven't just picked up on that, either." She thought for a long moment, and her face suddenly became serious, contrasting with the playful expression she usually wore. "Want some advice, dear?"

"I think I'll live without it, grandma," I crossed my arms, not amused by her calling me "dear" in a patronizing way. She had to be younger than me by at least a few years. She waved my comment off, and continued anyway.

"He looks and acts like he can show a girl a good time, and he's a real gentleman when he talks to women, of that there is no doubt. But that doesn't mean he'll be there in the morning. Take it from someone who's had her share of heartbreaks."

"Um," I looked at her curiously, "No offense, but don't people pay you for one night stands?"

"Doesn't mean I like it," she shrugged her bare shoulders. Her general attitude told a slightly different story. "Maybe I want a husband and child as much as the next girl? But who would want a whore, really?" She looked away from the celebrations, and into the water down below. "Eden, have you ever had to act to make things easier? To convince yourself that you're happy with your life?"

"Plenty. But you get used to it." That was what being in a gang for the first year felt like. Just clenching your teeth, and pretending you were grateful to your boss, and enjoying the life. Again, though, you got used to it after a few years, the act becoming more real.

"Exactly. It becomes everything you know, and then..."

"That's some deep thinking there." I stated, almost defensively, "But what does it have to do with Ezio and me?"

She looked up at me again. "I've seen his kind before. Charming, handsome, dangerous. Sometimes, they're the nicest people ever. But they still leave as soon as they're done, and they will never think of me as anything more than a whore he paid to spend the night with."

"I'm not a whore-"

"No, you're not. But they don't exactly limit themselves, do they?"

I swallowed hard, my previous state of euphoria suddenly crashing down as the reality rushed through my head. Very crude reality, but nonetheless, true...

Ezio was, for the entire time I've known him, a player. Perhaps more so before his family was slaughtered, but he still had his share of women afterward. I'd sort of lost count, admittedly. The handful of girls in Monterrigioni, one in San Gimignano, that horse racer, Amelia in Forli, and then Rosa...this painter's model Cristina. Not to mention, however many girls in Florence before I even met him...he'd mentioned somewhere along the lines of ten or so during one of our drunken talks in Monteriggioni…

What was I to him, then? Another conquest, like Caterina Sforza, who he filed away for the next time he was traveling through the port town? Just another check mark in his list?

Diana was watching me with sad understanding as I got up sharply.

No more thinking. God knows where that would get me.

I needed a drink.

---

Slipping into the party was close to effortless as the courtesans distracted Dante and his guards. Ezio even had a few moments to catch his breath inside, before they burst in anyway. It was too late to do anything more than search for him, but that was like looking for a needle in a haystack. Working with Teodora's girls, he evaded eyes easily, and came as close to Marco's boat as he dared.

And then...it was almost routine work.

Eden was on his mind the entire time, though. Mostly barking at him to start aiming better, as he'd only get one shot. But as hard as he tried avoid it, his thoughts continued to wander to her, the way she kissed him, and what could happen when this was over. He found himself eager to finish the assassination, the craving to go and seek her out again pulling at him with every move. His impatience almost cost him his cover once, but he recovered swiftly.

The fireworks boomed somewhere above, and Marco suddenly choked on his words, beginning to sway and looking around wildly, as if trying to figure out what just happened. No one even noticed it at first, as there was no hint of a blade in sight. Before anyone could recover, the assassin muttered _"Resquiescat in pace,"_ and successfully dodged the distracted guards, making it out of the party with as much ease as he entered.

"Wonderfully done," the courtesans back at _La Rosa Della Virtù_ cooed softly, gathering around him and taking him into their arms as Antonio cheered.

"The saviour of Venice!" he exclaimed, swinging around a bottle of wine happily as he pulled up his pants. "What can I say? Perhaps it was wrong of me to doubt so readily. Now, at least we'll have a chance to see where the pieces fall..."

"Enough of that now," Teodora interrupted, smiling at Ezio warmly. "Come. You've worked hard, my son. I feel your tired body is in need of comfort, and succor."

He was quick to catch the double meaning, and would have played along. But at that moment, there was only one person he wanted to see. He sighed, and shook his head. "_Grazie, _Sister. And ladies," he fleetingly smiled, taking each of the courtesans' hands and gracing them with a chaste kiss. They sighed with admiration, even as they looked forlorn, almost as though immediately sensing there would be no merry-making with the Assassin tonight. "While normally I'd take that offer, it's not today…have you seen Eden?"

Teodora blinked, and then smiled with understanding, opening her mouth to say something, only to be suddenly interrupted.

"She left." He turned to the voice, and the woman crossed her arms, staring him down sadly.

"What? When?"

"While you were at the party."

Something began to drop in Ezio's stomach as he asked, "Where did she go? Did she say when she's coming back?"

The courtesan shook her head, "She probably won't come back."

It took him a few moments to fully realize the weight of the statement.

_Not coming back..._

_Cazzo! Damn it, Eden!!!_


	27. Chapter 26

**A/N- **And, here's what all you've been waiting for, I'm sure. Considering I had at least a million angry comments saying "COME ON, just get to it already!!" I must say, though, I sort of expected that. And also, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy just a little... =)

Anyway, here you all go.

* * *

The morning sky was pretty dull this early on. The fireworks had already died down, but the sun had barely begun to brighten the horizon. Gray, transparent fog hung over the water, clinging to its whispering surface and dulling the bright colors of Venice. There were not many people in this part of the city, just the occasional guard who walked past, shivering from the cold. A group of them came through just recently, looking for the assassin that murdered the Doge of Venice in what I heard them describe as a "unique" method.

"_Signora_, are you in or out?" the man asked, leaning onto the railing beside me as he nodded down to the canal, at his gondola. I nodded, but did not move towards the boat. "It's leaving in ten minutes, you know."

I bobbed my head again. He sighed, but didn't push it. The man, despite his generally rough appearance and patronizing voice was fairly pleasant, and did not poke fun at me for wearing men's clothing or for wanting to travel alone. After a long moment, when the silence became uncomfortable, I asked, "Why aren't you at the celebrations, anyway?"

He snorted, "What haven't I seen there? Those puffed up peacocks? Besides, someone has to cart you ladies out of Venice."

"I'm not the first?"

"Not even close. Who is he, anyway?"

"Who is who?"

"The man that's got you running like this?"

I blinked at him, and he laughed with his nearly toothless mouth.

"Look, _amore_, I've been ferrying this thing for my entire life. I've seen 'em all. Runaway brides, escaping or scared girls running from their parents' houses, desperate couples...once, even a female mercenary running from the guards. Hid in the crates, the girl did…I don't ask questions if they're not wanted, see. So what are you, then? A thief? Nah," he snorted, giving me a speedy, calculating once-over. Normally, I would've snarled a rude retort and threatened to castrate him all at once. But he looked me over with genuine curiosity rather than lechery or threat. "Too many weapons on you for that," he continued, arching a brow and scratching his head, "Or perhaps…another mercenary? Running from a man, of course?"

I smiled with the corner of my mouth, realizing the poor idiocy of my situation, if not for the first time. "Yeah, something like that." He didn't reply, save a snort that I assumed translated to something along the lines of _"I told you so."_

I wasn't sure at what point I decided to grab my bag and leave - it was a purely spontaneous thought that appeared when I was passing by the docks and saw the man preparing his gondola. And after that...I barely forced myself to step up to where it bobbed at the dock. Yet after that, I couldn't even get on it.

He winked at my silence, watering blue eyes glittering with understanding. "Want some advice?"

"Why is everyone so eager to give me advice today?" I muttered, rolling my eyes.

He completely ignored me, continuing on, "Don't rush to leave. Not just yet, at least. Get yourself a drink somewhere, let it wash over you, and think it over. Or better yet, don't."

"That's what I've been doing for my entire life."

"And you're alive, aren't you?"

"I'd be really worried if I wasn't," I joked without humor, looking down into the waters and sighing. I brought my hand up, beginning to fiddle with the dog tags that I still wore around my neck. Within a few moments, I brought it out in front of my face.

_Alex Grant_

For the first time, reading the name did not make my heart clench. There was no fight to blink back any tears, no feeling of drowning as the air left my lungs, no clammy hands or pounding headache of remorse. Instead, I just felt a slight pang of sadness.

Why did I wear the reminder of him with me? A reminder of what? I barely even remembered it anymore…

~_"Evening," __the__ man nodded curtly. I leaned onto the door frame, one hand automatically falling onto the nearest weapon._

_"Do I know you?" I asked without any sort of hint to a greeting - Larry's paranoia was easily contagious._

_"Not personally. Alex talked about you, though." I didn't like his tone at all._

_"Where is he? Is everything alright?"_

_"I'm afraid that…well...something's happened." He held them out for me, and two pieces of metal and a chain dropped into my hands. They had a streak of blood on them that I later washed off._

_I barely even heard what he said after that. It felt as if though someone threw a bag of bricks at me, and then shards of glass suddenly pierced my already scarred heart. I slowly slid down the frame, my legs unable to support me, and a gasping sob escaped my lips._

_I was scared. I was in pain. And I felt utterly alone. Like I have three other occasions in my life… _

_Enough to fuck anyone over._

_The first person who asked me about Alex, I punched in the face, breaking his nose in a fit of what I later realized was madness. I killed my marks with more violence, blood lust singing in my ears and veins. I didn't talk to anyone for nearly two weeks, locking myself in my apartment for days on end, once, up until I ran out of food. My place looked like a tornado crashed through it, with flipped furniture, ripped pillows, broken plates, and cut up clothes. I was unstable, easily set off, trying my hardest to try and at least move a little bit of my pain to the things I destroyed. _

_Furniture. Clothes. People. Nothing was spared._

_When I finally calmed down, weeks later, the tears began. For days, sometimes heavy and howling, other times terrified and trembling. _

_And then, I decided - no more. I couldn't handle it another time_.~

"So, your ten minutes are up, _amore_. Are you in, or are you out?"

I wrapped the chain around my fingers, ripped it off, and flung it into the water. Alex was a good man, and I loved him. But we were never complete, not with the lies we told each other.

Ezio was different. Womanizer, playboy, flirt, charmer...yes. But also my best friend.

The only man that had not left me so far, not in the year since some strange providence had seen fit to hurl us towards each other. Yet, he never asked for anything in return, never demanded any sort of prize or sacrifice, never insisted I change a damn thing about myself. Ezio was the one to finally make the old nightmares go away. And he was the one I could not stand to leave now.

Sure, the man had an uncanny, natural talent for the blade. Not to mention, the strangely familiar strength and grace that allowed him to run, jump, and duck and dodge along the rooftops made him one of the best practitioners of our deadly little trade that I'd ever worked with. He could easily fend for himself against the odds. But what the hell was I thinking, leaving him alone? After all, I promised Maria and Claudia I'd look after him. And now, I was running, _again, _like a scared little girl from a cheap romance novel, too afraid to get hurt.

Ugh, what an ugly cliché.

I couldn't physically make myself get onto the stupid ferry and walk away from harm. I trusted him enough to give him a chance. At least...one.

"Out."

* * *

Ezio searched for Eden almost frantically, trying desperately to tune in to her, and yet somehow, failing. There was no sign of her on the bright and colorful streets of Venice. No golden string to pick up, no sense of the familiar, unique beat of her heart thrumming in his ears to guide him towards her. He all but ignored the guards, easily slipping past them on the streets. Sometimes, he even sniffed the air, as if hoping to catch her familiar scent. What terrified him the most, though, is how hollow it all seemed without even a hint at her presence.

He finally paused in the shadow of an alley, and not far from the Seta. Taking a deep breath and rubbing the bridge of his nose, he closed his eyes in frustration. The sun was beginning to rise, he noted – he'd been searching for nearly an hour now. Intuition failed him, due to the inability to focus properly. Mind spinning with all sorts of thoughts, it blocked his instinct, forcing him to think logically.

Which came back to the fact that Ezio had no idea whether or not she was actually mad or heartbroken. Mostly because he was out the door of the brothel and fled before the courtesan could properly explain what was going on. All he knew what that she was running. And if she was running, she'd be at...

Eden was far from an average woman, who would either begin to yell and throw slaps around, or simply go cry in a corner. Crying wasn't exactly Eden's usual move. Her thing would be to go into a pub somewhere, get roaringly drunk, and then pick a fight. Perhaps go and kill a few guards along the way. Hell hath no fury like that particular woman scorned, after all...

A tavern. _Merda!_ There had to be at least a dozen in this district alone, though. But she'd be here, closer to home more likely than anywhere else. She certainly wouldn't go to a more reputable place, if only to avoid mingling with snotty nobles and people dumb enough to attempt to turn her in for the promise of a few florins.

Ezio finally looked around, trying to orientate as a he took a few deep breaths and cleared his head.

And then, out of nowhere, she tugged again, drawing his head in the direction that he remembered the "Dirty Knife" to be. He sighed with relief – he'd found her again.

The tavern was unusually lively, most likely due to the carnival celebrations. A lot of the thieves had come into big money over the last few weeks of robbing the nobles blind. So had the mercenaries, hired on for additional protection for nobles. Though strangely enough, they seemed to look the other way when it came to the thieves. Thankfully, the nobles were either too stupid, or too full of it to lower themselves to notice that the factions were all relatively in league with other. In essence, the thieves, mercenaries and courtesans refused to actively harm one group over another when it came to them versus the nobles.

What better way to wash away the newly gained riches than with liquor? Which meant that the whores were in business as well, to either bring comfort to the robbed, or celebrate with the thieves and mercenaries. Funnily, in the end, all that money came back to the merchants and nobles with deals, bribes and shopping. A simple, yet effective chain that kept the inner economy of Venice going strong.

But Ezio hardly cared for the money making processes, as his attention was drawn to the center of the large room, where a round table was surrounded by men with cards in their hands. They were laughing loudly, some hissing threats or simply cursing over lost money.

"What is going on?" the assassin asked the barkeep, who was looking at the table somewhat sourly.

"That girl barged in, and offered a game," the man shrugged. "When they protested, she put the money out. That shut 'em up..."

"Figures." Ezio made his way to them, where Eden was sitting with her legs thrown up onto the table, not minding the greedy eyes on her pockets one bit. She was no longer wearing a dress, but her regular clothes, consisting of a tunic, pants and boots. And of course, her swordbelt, though it had no sword. Those had to be turned into the barkeep, if only to avoid getting the sawdust covered floor of the tavern all bloodied up from the fights that inevitably broke out. Daggers were allowed though. Smaller, they could still kill, but again, they left less of a bloody mess.

It irritated Ezio slightly to catch a few unwelcoming glares as he approached, and even more so at the men that openly stared at the woman's legs. Once again, she didn't seem to care as she slapped another card down onto the table.

Two men groaned, slamming down their cards. While one of them pushed money towards her, the other stabbed his dagger into the table, the clang of it reverberating between them as he stared at her in challenge. While Ezio struggled to hold back a growl, seriously contemplating permanently rearranging the smirking man's haggard face, Eden just laughed. Easily yanking the knife out of the wood, she arched a brow of amusement before sliding it into one of her many sheaths.

That's when she noticed Ezio. To his surprise, she did not begin to shoot bolts of lightning from her eyes. Or cry. Or yell. Or even take off again at the sight of him. Instead, she smiled broadly, raising her tankard full of ale in salute.

"Ezio! What a pleasant surprise! I was…going to go look for you…later. Not now, though..."

"What are you doing?" he asked, for the lack of anything better. She stared down at the cards in her hands for a moment, as though seeing them for the first time.

"I'm actually not sure," she slurred with a haphazard shrug. "I think we're playing cards, though I still don't know the rules. They don't know that though," she hissed in loud whisper, and everyone at the table stared at her grimly.

He raised both of his eyebrows. A part of him wanted to laugh at her drunken confusion, but he reminded himself why he was here in the first place. "Looks like they know now. Can we talk?" As he practically heard ears perking up at that, he hurried to add, "Alone?"

"Um…no. I'm playing." She said it like it was the most obvious thing in the world, but he couldn't miss the flash of panic in her dark eyes. Glancing at her tankard thoughtfully, as if it had the answer to his question, she shrugged again.

"Go away, _bastardo!_" someone from across the table hiccupped at him. He ignored it.

"Eden, we really should talk," he tried again, slightly more forceful.

She narrowed her eyes as if in thought, and puckered her lips in a pout. Then, she shook her head stubbornly, like a little child defying their parent. He sighed, and the next moment, he easily picked her up, tossing her over his shoulder. As the crowd hooted and hollered, catcalling them both, she spent the total of roughly one second staring at his backside in shock, only to begin struggling. .

"Let me go, you _insane_ rapist!!" Not bothering to respond, he held her legs down so they wouldn't hit him in the face as he looked at the barkeep.

"Room?"

"She got one. Third door on the right, up the stairs," the bartender shrugged, not caring too much at the fact that he was physically dragging the woman away. There was also a collective groan at the table, though it probably had more to do with the fact that the woman wouldn't buy any more drinks for them.

"Traitor!" she hissed at barkeep, who only shrugged and wiped down the counter as Ezio carried her off.

She continued to wriggle the entire time up the stairs, smacking him in the back for good measure before she begin laughing, the sound high and childish as it escaped her mouth. Pushing the door of the room open, he set her down before quickly locking to door behind them. The room was fairly small, with the large bed taking up most of the space. Aside from that, there was only a small table and chair, set beneath the window, to the left of the bed. Her bag was already shoved carelessly under it, her dress hanging off one of the four posters of the bed.

"Well, that was fun! Let's do it again!" she clapped her hands, grin widening and cheeks flushed.

"Exactly how drunk are you?" he cautiously asked.

"I'm not sure. I-" She hiccupped before she could finish her thought, only to frown, "Not drunk…enough..." she perched on the bed, crossing her legs, and smiling at him.

"Wait. I thought you were leaving..."

She looked confused, furrowing her brow in bewilderment. "Leaving? W-what are you…talking about? Who told you that? _Liar-!_"

"The courtesan at Teodora's."

Eden thought for a long moment, and then realization dawned on her face. "Diana misunderstood!" she frantically shook her head in disagreement, "Honest mistake, you know? When I left…when I _left, _I told her I was going to go and drown myself. I…I don't think she understood the…humor."

"Really?" he sat down beside her, staring at her hopefully. She smiled, but then frowned, leaning onto his shoulder and closing her eyes.

"Well...Ezio, do you want the truth?"

"Why do I get the feeling I don't?" he slowly said, even as he threw an arm around her shoulder.

"Because you probably don't," she shrugged him off, withdrawing for a moment and squinting at him. He was disappointed as she did so, though that was soon amended as she leaned against him again. "But tough, I'm telling you."

Without warning, Eden's voice dropped, her slurring significantly less, though she still remained flush against him. And her hands were twisting along his robes at his waist, almost in strange sort of nervous habit. "She told me you'd most likely just leave in the morning after…and I actually _did_ try to get out of Venice, but not because you'd leave, but because of my own issues, and-" She was babbling slightly, but he understood the words with a rising feeling of dread. "But…then I couldn't, and so I'm here, and you sort of tore me away from my meditations."

"I'm confused," Ezio stated simply, unsure how else to respond, or what she even meant. "Are you leaving, or are you staying. Or…what the hell are you doing? And a better question, _why?!_"

There was a silence. And then she suddenly began to laugh. At first, just stifling giggles. And then it speedily rose into hysterically shaking all over as she vainly tried to contain her laughter.

"I really don't see what's so funny." Ezio sniffed, actually a little offended by her reaction.

"I'm so sorry - it's just that - are you really _that_ blind?" she asked finally, all hints of humor now gone. She groaned and slammed back into the bed. "It would have all been so much easier if you just knew."

"But I don't know, so could you please enlighten me?" he crossed his arms, not impressed with her attitude.

"You do realize I've been in love with you for the last three months? Actually, even longer than that?"

* * *

Moments passed, and his jaw did not return back up to the rest of his skull. He only continued to stare at me, as if wishing to understand exactly what I'd just said. I began move uncomfortably under his gaze, sobering further with the realization of exactly _what _I just confessed to him. I felt...slightly horrified, actually, but somehow a lot lighter with finally telling him the truth. Now, all I needed was for his pupils to start responding again...

"Please say something," I almost pleaded as I sat back up.

"I - don't understand..."

That...was not what I was expecting. If anything, I expected him to either faint, or get up and make an Ezio-shaped whole in the wall beside the door. Yes, I do realize I am not funny. And yes, I don't give a crap. Especially when I'm drunk.

"What don't you understand?"

"Why..."

"What do you mean, _why?_"

"Why were you leaving at the first sign that I was interested?" he blinked at me, and I swallowed hard. I folded my hands on my lap, and stared at the floor.

"Ezio, I'm going to tell you a secret that if you ever tell anyone else, I will not hesitate to smother you with a pillow."

"_Va bene_."

"I'm scared. There, I said it. Absolutely terrified. Laugh if you want," I whispered. Another moment passed. Finally...

"Scared of what?"

"Here's a little something you most likely didn't know about me. I'm completely insane."

"No, I knew that," he reminded me with a shrug, and I rolled my eyes.

"It's just that...I don't deal well with loss," I sighed, looking away from him. "Usually, I go berserk. I kill and hurt people, sometimes, even innocents, by accident. And it's just that...I'm a little afraid that one of these times will be one too many, and I'll lose my mind."

He was listening to me intently, his eyes almost painfully understanding. "Why are you so assured that I'd leave you?"

"Because they all do?"

I stood up swiftly, my mood changing with the speed of lightning. I really didn't want to get mad at him now, but I couldn't help it. "Everyone! Mom and dad, Eve, Alex. Everyone I ever actually loved has just left, one way or another. Ezio, I…I…I'm _tired._" I spun back around to him, pausing in my pacing. "It's exhausting, you know, feeling like I'm losing my mind? And then you go and make me fall in love with you...Do you have _any_ idea how jealous I got whenever I saw you flutter off with some new girl? You've been driving me more and more insane!"

"Oh, you think you haven't been doing the same?!" To my surprise, he snapped at me, and stood up. "Do you seriously think you were the only one that was affected here?"

"I never said that," I crossed my arms.

"Your strange behavior, your smell, your voice, the general lack of personal space-"

"I blame that on _you_," I pointed out, biting back a snarl. But he ignored me.

"And then the fact that you've completely rejected any sort of attempt I made to carry things on," he declared, rolling his eyes, "It drives me absolutely _mad_, the way you let me come so close, just to pull away at the last second! You're a bloody enigma, you know that?! Like one of those damned codex pages that needs to be deciphered by some genius-"

"And there I thought men liked a challenge-"

"-never, once, did I push you into anything you didn't want to happen!" he barreled on. "You do realize that I rejected the company of courtesans just so I can talk to you about what the hell is going on?!"

_...He did?_ "And, now, why would you do something for mad old me? Maybe you should just go right out of the door, and get back to them!"

"Maybe I should!"

"Then get out!" I nearly screeched, wrenching the door open and waiting for him to make his dramatic, grand exit. He glared, and marched out. The moment he did, I slammed it behind him.

... and then I bit my lip against the treacherous tears that hurt my eyes, refusing to allow them to spill. How everything went down so fast, I really had no idea. I wanted to blame the slight degree of alcohol, but I'd already sobered up at one point or another during…that.

There was a knock on the door.

I opened it.

"_Va bene!" _he snapped with a furious wave of his hands,_ "_I forgot...Ah, to hell with it-"

Then his lips were on mine again.

And then, everything just...sort of happened.

It was like a dam broke between us, actually. Locked together tightly, we nearly tore each other's armor and clothes off. Our hands seemed to be everywhere at once, though it would have been so much faster and easier to do that our own. But that would mean separating even for a moment, something I refused to contemplate, even under the threat of suffocating. The need for him overrode the need for air, as each kiss felt nearly desperate. I felt like I was losing my mind, my shaking hands moving through the unfamiliar buckles and fabric.

_To hell with it...Well said..._

He said something at one point or another, and for some reason I heard it in Italian. But I was pretty sure I knew what he meant. It made me pull away from him, stare into the impossibly familiar eyes, and then grin. And then he smiled back, almost childishly happy with my response.

I could be dramatic and say that my world was suddenly illuminated by the shiny sun at that moment. Or that I felt like I've found something I was searching for all my life. Or that everything just suddenly seemed okay. Actually, better than okay; everything was absolutely wonderful, and all of my existence was singing and soaring. I could also say that there really is a God above if he let me have this. And how it felt like right now, nothing could possibly go wrong.

"_Ti amo..._"

Hell. I'll be dramatic and say it anyway.

* * *

I quietly got up from the bed, careful not to wake Ezio up as I slipped out of his arms. Picking up his white tunic from the floor and pulling it over my head, I then opened the window. Letting the cool air in, I suddenly froze there, thinking.

The only thought that came to mind at that moment was _What have I done?_

I licked my lips, running a hand through my tussled hair. Then looked out the window. Then back to the sleeping man. And my eyes stayed there, tracing over his face.

He was smiling softly through his sleep, his hair spilled all over the pillow, messy and undone. I couldn't hold back a smile as I sat back down onto the bed and reached over to him, brushing some strands out of his face carefully. He hummed, leaning his cheek into the warmth, and I felt a pleasant emotion swell up in me.

_Well, at least it was a joint effort._

I didn't know what to do, or what he would do in the morning. There was a snide little voice in me that told me that he'd just leave, and that I should get out before he had the chance to get the drop on me. But it was a very small voice. Nor did I want to leave. Maybe he didn't either...after all, he told me he loved me. Thinking back, he meant the words, and the kiss, as I tasted absolutely no wine or lies on him.

And he was my best friend. And he patiently chased me all over Venice; I doubt he would do that for just another "conquest". And as for my issues with loss...the chance of him dying was a very, very small one, even with being an assassin and putting his life in danger every day.

So maybe this wasn't really a difficult choice, then...

I laid back down beside him, cuddling back into the perfect position I was in before I left the bed.

* * *

Leonardo trudged into the workshop, Adel following him inside. Moving a lot more slowly than her usual bouncing-off-the-walls step, she yawned nearly every ten seconds. Since Eden still did not manage to take her off his hands, the artist took her back to his house until she did. It was already morning, and the city has died down quite a bit, with the murder of the Doge and all. Of course, no one dared to interrupt the celebrations, as it even went against the late Marco's own last words. So for now, everyone was simply taking a break until things started back up again in the afternoon.

"Do you want something to eat?" he asked tiredly, really not feeling like doing anything other than sleeping. But he was still hungry.

She seemed to think about it, and nodded. He sighed, starting to search through his cupboards for something edible. Pushing away the questionable bread and cheese and the bottles of paint that he accidentally put in there, he sniffed the milk, only to grimace and toss it out before finally settling on the fruits he bought only a night ago. When he came back to the table, Adel was curiously looking up at the flying machine that he spent the time and money on getting out of the canal where it dropped beside the Ducale. Nearly got caught, too, but thankfully Eden and her friend Luca helped divert the guards' attention.

"What is that?" she asked, voice lilting with curiosity and her slight French accent.

"It's a flying machine," Leonardo grinned. He was immensely thrilled of the fact that it'd actually worked. Once the heat over the previous Doge's death died down, he looked forward to allowing Ezio to test it out some more so he could tweak some of the engineering.

"Does it work?"

"You should ask Ezio that. He was the one to test it," he smiled discretely. Her eyes widened with childish admiration.

"What else do you make?"

"Lot's of things. Art, statues, inventions..." he said, modestly blushing.

"Can I see?"

"S-sure, just promise me you won't touch anything?"

She nodded enthusiastically. So he showed her, keeping away from the sometimes fragile sketches and notes, and sticking to the actual projects. Unlike Eden, who was fascinated with his inventions, machines and notes above all else, Adel loved the paintings. She didn't touch them, keeping her hands behind her back, though coming in so close her nose almost touched the canvas. He didn't lecture her on anything, only answering questions when she had them.

Surprisingly enough, when occupied, she was an intelligent and educated girl, most likely brought up by nobles. Which made Leonardo wonder once again - where were her parents? And why was Eden taking care of her? It was, of course, none of his business. But still…with the work that the pair did, it was most likely hard to raise a child at the same time. Unless they were training the girl...

After an hour of looking through his started and sometimes even finished projects, she began to doze off, sleep finally taking over the bouncy girl. Adel slept right there, at the table, her head resting on her arms peacefully. Leonardo yawned, rubbing his eyes. Glancing around the studio, he draped a big piece of cloth over the paintings once again, for protection from dust and wandering eyes. Gently picking her up, he walked over the one spare bedroom that was above the workshop, laying her down on the large bed and covering her with a few blankets.

He decided that when asleep, she was a lot more manageable than when fully awake and running all over the place. He could probably even paint her, which would be just as well; the girl had an angel's face, round and innocent and prone to blushing when she was happy or excited. Her hair looked as if though it was spun from pure gold, curling in delicate tangles. For some reason, it was cut short, though, as if it was ruined past the length. And there were what looked like burn scars on her skin. He suddenly remembered that there was a fire in the district only about a month previous.

He looked the girl over again, and shook his head to himself, going to his own room. Adel was an innocent child - he doubted that either Eden or Ezio would actually make her into an assassin.

_Speaking of Eden and Ezio... where are they?_ he wondered sleepily.

* * *

Ezio woke up slowly, as though after a very good dream. Unwilling to open his eyes, even though the light was shining brightly at his face, he vainly tried to go back to sleep, if only to recapture his blissful reverie. Muttering some nonsense, he reached over the bed...

...only to find nothing but empty air and cooling sheets. The effect was that of freezing water dumped on his head, making him sit up sharply.

_Was it just a dream, then?_ He looked around the room, and breathed with relief once he realized that Eden was standing in the window frame. Wearing his own white tunic, her face was lifted to the sun, a soft smile on her face.

He stood up quietly, bringing the sheets with him as he came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her frame. "_Ciao_."

"Amazing," she laughed softly, "The only thing you can come up with after a night like that is 'Hey?' Really, Ezio, I thought you'd begin a love ballad or something. I'm almost disappointed."

"_Basta!_ You make absolutely no sense," he playfully nipped at her ear, not offended by the remark.

"I know," she squeezed his hand where it rested at her waist. "Fine then, I'll settle for 'Good morning,'" she replied, turning her face slightly to him to give him a smile, "It's a beautiful day."

"Not as beautiful as you."

She laughed, and elbowed him lightly in the ribs. "Flattery will get you nowhere. At least, nowhere new." She suddenly sighed, casting her eyes down, "Ezio?"

"Hmm?"

"I'm almost afraid to ask this, but...what happens now?"

"Now? Are you still afraid I'm going to run off?" he asked. In the back of his mind, he realized that he should probably get angry at it, but he could see where she was coming from. He didn't exactly have the best record with these sorts of things, and her own history wasn't very supportive, either. "_Mia cara_, I think we've come a little too far together for me to up and leave." He kissed her hair gently, and she turned in his arms to face him, her grin in serious competition with the sun as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"So, no more fighting?" She pulled his head down so that she could lean her forehead on his.

"If it yields results like this, then I think we should fight more often, actually," he smirked, "And besides, you started it."

"Dummy," Eden laughed, and kissed him. Feeling the warmth grow in his chest, he pulled her closer, returning her efforts with practiced ease.

"Am I forgiven, then?" he asked when she finally took a step away from him.

"I'm thinking about it," she narrowed her eyes playfully as she began to search for her bag under the bed. "I think a little begging and chocolate will help my thought process, though. Just a hint."

"Chocolate?" he arched a brow.

"Sorry, wrong era," she shrugged with a grin, "Though it should start popping up soon, I guess. It's dark, like coffee. And it's usually sweet, like honey, but different….anyway, you owe me lots of it!"

"You are cruel," he muttered as she pulled on some pants, much to his disappointment. She laughed in reply.

"Well, what did you expect? That I'd forgive you that easily after that performance?" she teased him. He gave a lowgrowl, nearly pouncing on her, and tackling her onto the bed. She continued to laugh, struggling to get out of his grip.

"Take it back!" he whined, to which she rewarded him with more laughter.

"Never!"

With a twist of her hips, she hooked her legs around his. Using his superior weight against him, she shimmied out beneath him, once again rolling them over so she was now sitting on top. In the struggle for control, the collar of his tunic, which was too large for her, fell off her shoulder. He then suddenly realized two things that he didn't before, as he was a bit...preoccupied. The chain she wore around her neck at all times for as long as he knew her was no longer there. And a red mark of his teeth could be seen on the skin of her neck, followed by another one along her collarbone.

"I didn't hurt you, did I?" he asked, suddenly serious as he reached up and gently traced the mark. She looked confused for a moment.

"Oh! That?" she reached up, brushing his hand aside before she shrugged, "Don't worry about it. You're little better…if not worse," she smirked, fingers moving along his neck as well.

He realized what she was talking about after a moment; there were slightly tender spots on his neck, shoulders and his own collarbone and back. They were not exactly gentle the first time around, their movements frenzied and urgent. She turned out to be a somewhat violent lover when frustrated, which did not surprise him that much.

He'd be lying if he said he did not enjoy it.

"Stop looking at me like that," she continued to smile, and he raised an eyebrow.

"Like what?"

"Like you want to eat me or something. If you're hungry, then let's find some food or go out. Which is just as well, considering the food here very, very questionable."

"Hm?"

"Just check for poison any time you order here. You know, just in case," she chuckled, and got off him, continuing to shuffle through her bag in search of her own clothes. Finally, she tugged his shirt off, throwing it back to him, and pulled on one of her own tunics, fastening her belt around her waist. He remembered something suddenly.

"By the way, do you want to stop at a doctor?"

"Why?" she asked in confusion, running a hand through her hair.

He coughed, glancing around for a bit before his gaze finally met hers. "Well, just in case there are complications we'll regret nine months later."

"Oh! No, that's alright," she shook her head, an adorable blush spreading on her cheeks. But she looked sad all of a sudden. "Besides, isn't…uh…doing _that," _she wiped at her stomach to get her point across, "A sin or something? Can girls even do that now?"

"I'm just saying," he steadily breathed, "You hardly need that sort of…thing right now."

"Ezio," she sighed, coming back to him, "I can't. If I do, I'll be wondering for the rest of my life if I killed the only chance I could get. I'm sorry, but I just can't. Besides, it's very unlikely, so don't worry your pretty little head over it."

"It's not me I'm worried about," he stood up, and pulled her into a hug. "I understand, though."

"You'd better. And anyway, think of my...situation as an easy contraception method."

"Are we going to need it?"

Eden smirked, "Oh, I think we still haven't made up for all the lost time we were messing with each others' heads. And for your information, if you ask me to make you a sandwich, or tell me to get back in the kitchen, I _will_ kick your ass."

"What? _Che cosa?_"

"Modern humor. Basically, treat me like a weak female, and I will show you a _very_ pissed off one."

"I wouldn't do that," he reminded her, and she smiled.

"Just a warning."

"...wait, so no sandwiches?" he pouted.

She just cracked her knuckles demonstratively.

* * *

I crossed my arms, leaning back onto the chimney as I observed the street down below. It was almost fascinating to watch the life boiling in the city, trying to guess what people were talking about, or where they were going. Even the gray clouds didn't stop the people from cheerfully greeting the day. No one was panicking over the Doge's death, and I could have sworn that a few of them even praised the assassin that freed them of the unfair tyrant. Now his brother, Agostino, was likely to be elected.

Thankfully, we'd gotten it right this time, as Agostino was rumored to be a much more pleasant man that Marco. And he'd refused to be bought out by the Templars. Sadly, the taxes did not drop yet, as the late Doge managed to almost completely deplete the city's resources with the celebrations and fireworks from China, not to mention the many guards that he'd paid to keep him safe. Nonetheless, the law was a bit more forgiving now, giving the merchants some breathing room once again.

I was absently eating an apple, waiting for Ezio to show up. He left early, much to my disappointment, and told me he'd find me later on in the day. I was actually happy with the new arrangements we made. The tension was finally gone, much to both of our relief. The days we now spent together were easy, cheerful despite the occasional raining and the beginning of floods, where sometimes the water rose up a few inches above the ground. The main squares flooded once it a while, I quickly found that Venice had yet to get its drainage system under control. Ezio told me it could get even worse, so we spent most of our times on the roofs.

The good part about this season, though, was that Templars were unlikely to make a move, since it was nearly impossible for soldiers to travel the streets. I suspected that after the subtle methods failed, they would most likely go on the offensive. But it also meant we had up to maybe a month or so of freedom, something I was really looking forward to.

"Hey," I smiled at the voice as Ezio sat down beside me. He kissed my cheek, and laid something on my lap. I looked down, noting with surprise a bouquet of yellow and white daffodils.

"You remembered...?" I looked up at him, unable to hold my grin. He laughed.

"Of course! I'm sorry there aren't any sunflowers in Italy," he apologized, and I shook my head.

"You do know what they mean, right?"

"Hm. Yes. The nice lady told me that they mean adoration and 'the sun shines when I'm with you.' Which, I have to say, is exactly right for you." He freed one of the flowers from the ribbon, and tucked it behind my ear. I was getting used to the now more frequent displays of affection. I mean, we weren't exactly five feet away before, but it was different in a lot of ways now.

I chuckled, and then hugged him tightly. "Thank you." After a moment, I added slyly, "But if you think that this will get you out of practice today, you're sadly mistaken."

He groaned dramatically, smacking himself on the forehead. "_Che cazzo!_ You've seen through my ruse! Fine, you difficult woman, let's get back to practice." I just laughed, gesturing for him to start.

Life was... amazingly good.


	28. Chapter 27

I was in heaven.

No, seriously. Pure, white, fluffy heaven. It didn't really matter that in reality, we were sitting on the rooftops of the houses lined up on the edges of the Rialto Bridge, and the heavens were far, far away.

"This is amazing," I stated, saluting Ezio with the cake in my hand which I'd just bought off a baker's stand below us. Even the constant smell of fish did not affect the quality of his products. The assassin glared at me before mournfully staring at the cake yet again. Hey, it wasn't my fault I'd bought the last one. Leaning back on the chimney, Ezio crossed his arms and pouted. I stuck my tongue out at him, and bit further into the cake. Mockingly letting out little sounds of blissful pleasure as the honey and lemon danced along my tongue, I daintily dabbed at my lip.

He couldn't help but laugh. And I couldn't help the rush of contentment that washed over me.

It was bliss, living in Venice these days. No one to go hunt down immediately. No one hunting us down after the epic failure before and after the Carnival. And almost nothing to do but sit on the roofs like this all day, hanging out and people watching. So far, the Rialto Bridge was our favorite spot, as we saw all the people coming through the docks and all the merchants in the market. Something was always happening, the area constantly bustling with activity.

For example, a week ago, two sailors got into a fight, crashing into and nearly destroying two stalls around them, stirring enough commotion that the guards came down to figure out what was going on. In the end, funnily enough, both of the sailors, the two merchants, three slightly ruffled citizens, and the guards went to the nearest tavern all together, giggling like little school girls and proclaiming their undying love for one another. How that happened? I can honestly say I did not have the faintest idea.

Not to mention that the sunshine chased away all the clouds that used to hang in the air. The rain always threatening to spill out at any given moment, the return of the sun ended the constant flooding. In turn, Venice regained the cheerful, colorful atmosphere the Mediterranean was known for. Or maybe it was just the angels singing in my soul...

Well, what? Was that too much? It was a _good_ cake.

But, like I should have expected, before I could finish the last piece of the sweetcake, it was rudely plucked out of my hands. Biting into thin air, I whipped around to look at Ezio. Chewing on it soundly and grinning, he smirked even more as I whined pathetically. He just chuckled in reply, swallowing the last of my heaven.

"You're right! It _is_ good cake!"

I growled at him, but it was too late. The wonder of baking was already chewed through and swallowed. "Auditore, I don't think you realize what you just did," I crossed my arms, my expression becoming slightly manic, "I loved that cake!"

"There are other cakes, you know. And you didn't share with me at all," he grinned, licking the last of the honey off his fingers as he shrugged, "Hence your punishment."

"I loved that cake more than you," I narrowed my eyes, causing his to widen slightly. "Yes, that's right. Let it sink in. You were outdone. By a _cake_."

"But I come a close second, right?" he fluttered his eyelashes, and I rolled my eyes.

"Whatever helps you sleep at night."

"That's not exactly what helps me sleep at night, you know..."

"That's all I'm giving you, though," I humphed. "I can understand eating my apples, though I still hate you for that. But not my cake."

"Seriously, Eden, there are other cakes-"

"There are other assassins, too," I reminded him slyly. It was his turn to glare.

"So what are you saying, exactly?"

"That I'll cheat on you with your uncle," I smiled at him brightly.

The expression of complete and utter horror on his face made me laugh so hard I nearly fell of the rooftop. Luckily, his reflexes were still good, and he caught me when I started to sway dangerously towards the edge. I held my sides as they began to hurt, and dropped my forehead on his chest, shaking violently.

"You and your jokes," he snorted, even as he absentmindedly intertwined his fingers with mine.

"You – should have seen - the - look on your face!" I choked out, gasping for breath, "Totally worth it..."

"I wish to thank you for that mental image, Eden," he gagged, "Really, it made my life complete."

"I can have Leonardo paint it for you, make sure it sticks?"

"If you do, I'll have to gouge my eyes out."

"You poor thing," I sympathized, finally calming down, "But that's what you get for eating my cake."

"Still on that?" he sighed exasperatedly. "What do you want me to do, grovel at your feet and beg for forgiveness?"

"It's a start. But, I guess as much fun as if would be to crush your ego and mental health further, I'll settle for this." I pulled myself up to meet his lips, to which he responded by pulling me closer to him by my waist.

Each moment of our days, we spent together. I wouldn't say that's exactly a healthy lifestyle, but our obsession with each other hadn't gone away just yet, and we really didn't mind. The only time I was alone was those rare occasions when we both had contracts.

Diana, when I talked to her, just widened her eyes and muttered jumbled apologies, which I just waved off. The misunderstanding did not cause any sort of trouble except for freaking Ezio out. Perhaps it even played a part in pushing us together. When she realized I was not mad at her, she became her usual, bubbly self, immediately going back to questioning me on him. And his, ahem, _performance_.

Now there were twenty awkward minutes of my life I'd never get back.

As much I would have loved the moment on the rooftop to last the entire day (hell, the month), it was rudely interrupted by a thief that coughed somewhere beside us. At first, we didn't really mind, and I even went as far as holding up one finger to tell him to wait. That's when his cough became a seizure, and we, in fear for his health, finally broke apart, turning our attention to him. For a moment, he recoiled from our irritated glares, but then remembered that he was actually on a very important mission, and cleared his throat.

"Ser Antonio is waiting for you at the Seta. He said it was urgent."

"Thank you, friend," Ezio ground out. I let out a disappointed sigh. And there went my day…

As the thief left, the assassin caught my eye, smiled, and reached up to ruffle my hair. "I know."

"I didn't say anything-"

"You were thinking very loudly, then."

"If that was true, I think I would have been burned at the stake by now."

"You almost were, once, remember?" He came to the edge of the roof, and hopped down, landing so lightly that people around him barely even noticed.

"Yep, good times..." I followed him down. "I think I'll pass on the meeting - unless it's actual planning, it's all just dry talk."

"What will you do meanwhile, then?"

I was about to reply, but then I was interrupted by the arrival of something small, and very energetic. Adel all but crashed into Ezio, but hit on the breaks at the last moment, harmlessly taking a step away from him.

"And there's my answer," I beamed at the girl, who smiled back, hurriedly apologizing to Ezio. "I'll just hang with Adel."

"... sure." By the long pause at the beginning, I assumed that he was going to bring out a long string of swears, but stopped himself. He kissed my forehead, shot a somewhat reproachful glare at Adel (who simply cocked her head to the side, crossed her arms, and returned it for a moment before turning to me and completely ignoring him), and walked off, effortlessly blending with the crowds.

"Adel, what are you doing here, anyway?" I asked after a moment, "Did Leonardo tell you to get out again? You know when he's busy, you can't go bugging him for days straight."

"Leo is leaving," she informed me. I shifted my eyebrows together.

"Where?"

"He said Milan."

"But he was just there...is he leaving today?"

"No, in two days - they're all packing up now," she shrugged. She was in constant motion, turning her head in every direction, sometimes hopping in the spot, and bouncing around like one of those really bouncy balls they sold at the dollar store back home. She was overflowing with energy - it was only a week ago that we allowed her to wander the streets freely, though either Ezio or I would always be tuned into her, sort of like supervising from a distance. Strangely, I also got the feeling she did not like that fact at all, though she never commented on it.

"Adel, do you want to play a game?" I suddenly asked, an idea coming to mind. She looked at me curiously.

"What type of game?"

"Hide and seek? I don't think your parents ever played with you."

She shook her head, her curls bouncing around. Thankfully, the fire hadn't left permanent damage to her scalp. Her hair had grown out over the last few months, though it barely brushed her neck. "They did when I was really, really little, but I don't remember."

"Alright. Do you want to seek, or hide?" I grinned, happy to get her interested.

"You're big, I'll find you no problem!" she exclaimed, and I laughed.

"We'll see about that!"

The point of playing the game with her was a thought that came to Ezio's head. Instead of teaching her to be an assassin or sending her to the nunnery, we concluded a compromise - we'd teach her survival. Discretion, hiding, blending, even as far as manipulation through speech. As I was sick of constantly worrying whether or not we could protect her, I easily agreed. Or, more like bounced up and down in joy, and then hung around Ezio's neck, wondering how the idea didn't come to me first. Antonio was fairly enthusiastic about the plan too, promising to help in any way he could. I already noticed he was very decent to children in terms of teaching and training, if Rosa was any indication.

We didn't tell her of the arrangement, running secret exercises that could seem like games, subtly working it in. Testing the waters, I suppose. Ezio sometimes asked her to race him and rewarded her with sweets when she got particularly close to winning (well, by her standards, that is). I got her to help me out with "research" with one of the Hell Hounds, as we called them. Not a very original name, but very fitting, I thought. Adel quickly became accustomed to the sight of the dog, soon poking it in the eyes to see what would happen, as she later explained to me. But the gory details did not bother her quite as much.

And with Hide and Seek, the point of the game was extremely simple. To teach her how to hide, and how to look for others. Considering I was her opponent, she was in for a challenge, which she eagerly took up.

Adel huffed slightly as she looked around the tiny little alley that ran between the houses, where I led her, flashing my cloak just within her eyesight. I waited a few breaths. She did not move, still twisting her head around back and forth, as if trying to catch my cloak again. I slowly felt the blood going to my head as I hung upside down from one of the ledges, waiting patiently for her to either give up, or look up...

To my great surprise, it was the latter. She threw her head back, and let out a small yelp, which quickly became triumphant.

"I found you!"

"Yes, you did," I nodded, tensing slightly so I could get myself the right side up, and nimbly jumping down. "Congrats, you just accomplished something that many policemen and city guards have failed to do when looking for me."

"Do you do that a lot?" she asked curiously, looking back to the pipes thoughtfully.

"Whenever I have to," I declared, "In the meantime, it's your turn to hide, then. Go on."

"Okay…wait a minute!" she suddenly paused, looking at me suspiciously, "You can find me easily." Considering I have tracked down men with power, money, and the motivation to hide with ease, an amateur little girl would hardly actually pose a challenge. Add to that the developing, uncanny tracking instinct that I had, thanks to Ezio...

"Adel, I don't think you understand how it works. If you hide well enough, I won't be able to sense you anymore, and I might actually have a hard time finding you. So go on, I'll give you five minutes to hide anywhere in this district. Then we'll see if it's good enough or not."

She looked slightly uncertain, but ran off immediately, her competitive side easily falling into the challenge. I waited the said five minutes, while slowly walking to the mouth of the alley. Of course, I could still tell where she was by just concentrating on the string of her scent (so far, the best of my senses). She ran through the street, and was quickly moving away.

Adel showed potential. Not the best I've ever seen; that position belonged to Ezio and his astonishing ability to disappear within a crowd and strike at whim. But she was very clever for her age, as well as having the noble manners on her side. Combine that with her father's residual lessons in blackmail and manipulation, I figured if she continued this, I'd have no choice but to officially agree to her training. No one wanted it to go to waste.

I paused for a moment after the five minutes ran out, and looked around, only to shiver. A sudden feeling of wrongness coming over me, and it struck me that something was not right.

It was too quiet, which was strange, considering that just a few blocks back, life was still boiling along in its usual ways along the Venetian streets. But here, it was empty, the rare people walking through looking around nervously, as if afraid something was going to jump at them any moment. As I walked in the direction Adel went, I continued to observe the situation closely. There were abandoned weapons pushed to the sides, a lot of them bloodied. Random sprays of the red stuff also colored the walls and tile, their paint freshly scraped and battered. I ducked down slightly, staring into the footprints in the faint dust that'd begun to settle.

It was all scattered, hard to read. But I still easily got the main message from it - there'd been a battle. Or battles, rather. Lots of them, stretched throughout the street, perhaps spilling out into the entire district.

I found Adel standing in the middle of a small square with a well in the middle of it, staring at the scene with slight horror. I licked my lips nervously, swallowing at the sight before her. This place was not yet cleaned up, bodies still littering the square, cries of shock and gasps of horror coming from the crowds that cut a large swath around it all. As I put a hand on her shoulder, she flinched but didn't move or make a sound. Just looked up at me with huge, shocked eyes. I brought my finger to my lips, turning her around and ordering her to sit on a bench opposite the scene. Specifically, with her back turned to it so that she overlooked the canal.

The guards were nowhere to be found, allowing me to fully take everything in. The bodies had different crests on them. One I recognized off the bat as Barbarigo's, while the other was unfamiliar. It was a bloodbath...from the number of bodies, I concluded that Silvio's men won the battle, and dragged off the survivors...

As I was crouching beside one of the men, a hand landed on my shoulder. I automatically swept the feet from under the newcomer, making him fall forward, over my shoulder. My knife stopped at his neck, and I suddenly realized it was Ezio.

"Eden, how many time does this have to go down?" He didn't even look shocked, staring up at me with slight annoyance. I sighed with relief, putting away my dagger, and helping him up.

"Your fault for sneaking up on me. Are you here because of this?"

"Not exactly...I've got a new task, directly from the soon-to-be doge."

"Impressive," I arched a brow, "What's up?"

"I'm looking for Bartolomeo. These are, or were, his barracks," he waved a hand to a huge building nearby that I confused at first with a stable. Which it probably was before.

"I doubt he is here. You search, I'll drop Adel off at Leonardo's. Try to figure out what happened here, and find this Bartolomeo."

"And you?"

"I'll catch up as soon as I can."

I pulled Adel up beside me tightly, steering her away from the scene. He caught my hand before we could leave though, looking at me for a long moment before he nodded. "It seems that Silvio is taking over the district as well, now. It's only a matter of time before they spread further. Just be careful, they outnumber us."

"We're always outnumbered," I reminded him with a grin, though I did not feel anywhere near as confident as I made my voice sound, "Though I guess never in these proportions..."

* * *

Finding Bartolomeo was easy. Actually, Ezio only had to guess the direction for half the way before he saw a large number of archers concentrated in one area. Then again, of course heard the extremely loud swearing.

"-I can take all of you on with one, no! _Both_ arms tied behind my back!! You're probably wondering how that's even _possible_! Well, let me out of this cage, and I will gladly demonstrate!!!"

His voice was very loud, commanding, threatening, intimidating...and a little insane. When they came into sight, Ezio was not surprised to find the men that guarded his cage looking slightly nervous, as if they were actually watching over a starved, raging bear. The mercenary commander himself actually did remind him of a large bear, all grizzled and scarred, his hands itching for a weapon. He didn't stop his hollering for one moment, even as Ezio dropped down on the guards and swiftly took them out with his duel blades, dispatching the other two with his throwing knives before they could alert anyone else. In fact, he continued bellowing on, going so far as shouting instructions at him.

By the end of the short battle, Ezio had half a mind of leaving the cage locked, just in case. But the man's sanity was not his business, so he picked up the spear that fell out of one of the guard's hands.

"How are you planning on getting me out?!" Bartolomeo demanded as the assassin jammed the thin blade into the lock. Eden, along with Antonio taught him how to open just about any lock with most anything lying around. He twisted it, searching for the triggers. Finally, there came the tell-tale a click, and Ezio jerked on it.

"About time! I don't know if I should kiss you, or slap you! Better do both, just in case."

Ezio put his hands up, while taking a horrified step away. "That's quite alright," he snorted, "I'm Ezio Auditore, I'm here to rescue you."

"Ha! We'll see who will be rescuing who!"

"What do you mean?"

The man jerked his head in the direction of the alley that led into the courtyard, where a group of determined guards were closing in. His hand reached for the first thing that he could find, which was unfortunately, a broom. Which incidentally, still managed to look like a dangerous weapon in his hands. Ezio drew his own sword, getting into defensive stance, seeing as Bartolomeo was not likely to choose flight over fight, considering the loud threats that he already began to hurl.

Suddenly, there was a blur in the air, and someone landed right in between the groups.

"What's this? Unfriendly tin cans resisting the daring rescue?" Eden asked cheerfully, her daggers flashing in her hands. Silvio's men paused, surprised to see a woman stand in between them and the assassin and mercenary leader.

"Eden, your timing is perfect." Ezio said, slightly relieved to have her within eyesight again.

"It always was! Oh, by the way, bear-dude, next time I hear you make suggestions to my man, I'll make you regret it," she called out with a laugh, taking a long step backwards to make space.

"What-?! Wench! Out of the way!!" Bartolomeo roared, not amused with her mockery, unimpressed by her small (well, compared to either of the men), almost completely unarmored form. Ezio sighed, already dreading what was to come next.

"Pfft, this wench can kill more of these thugs than you!"

"A little puny thing like you, _signorina?_" Bartolomeo cackled, "Oh, I'd love to see that!!"

"You're about to!"

The bewildered guards finally decided they had enough, and charged.

Strangely enough, this time Ezio didn't even get to join into the fray. While Eden became a whirlwind of blades, threatening to slice off the limb of the first one stupid enough to come near, Bartolomeo heavily wielded the broom, which became bloody in the matter of seconds. The mercenary, not discouraged by the somewhat unorthodox weapon, was yelling battle cries the entire time, probably improvising on the spot.

"I'll sweep the floor with you, you tit-sucking, mother-fucking bastards!!!"

"Say what?" one of the guards retorted with surprise. It was all the opening Eden needed to bury her dagger in his chest. That didn't seem to detract the other guard behind him.

"My mother was a saint!" one of the more slow guards yelled, only to be repaid with a broom the head. That was certainly…_crunchy._

"Wait, does that mean he agrees, or not?" Eden looked at the gasping man on the ground curiously. She already straightened out and even cleaned her dagger, having finished off the two guards with sudden ease. Perhaps the cautious sneaking at the Carnivale has done her some good. "Damn it, now I'm curious! Ezio! Get off your butt, we have work to do!"

"Oh, I'm truly sorry, _mia cara_, that I could not participate in the battle," he bowed demonstratively. "I really doubt you needed my help, between the two of you."

"Oh, right. Bart, or whatever your name is, that was not a fair victory!" she seemed to be in a lot more jovial mood than before, going back to her usual self with ease. The mercenary glared at her, and Ezio made a small step towards her, just in case. "There were not enough people for the two of us!"

"It's rarely fair in the battlefield, girl, so why don't you act like a normal woman and get off of it?!"

"No, you sexist old man-" she heatedly argued in return.

"Eden! Bartolomeo! _Basta!_" Ezio finally raised his voice above their arguing, and they both turned around to him. "I think we should get going."

"That's right! There's more heads to be bashed!" Bartolomeo easily forgot about the cocky girl, threatening thin air with the bloody broom.

"Actually, I think we should avoid conflict," Ezio hurried to add.

"Why? Are you scared?"

"No, just practical! They outnumber us a hundred to one!" he said somewhat defensively, and Eden snorted.

"They _always_ outnumber us a hundred to one. When has that ever stopped your suicidal plans?"

"_My_ suicidal plans? As far as I remember you were always in on them!"

"I'm not right in the head, and that's my excuse. What's yours?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but realized that this would not go anywhere, as Eden was clearly enjoying the arguing. Ezio shook his head, struggling not to grin. No need to give her any more ammo and waste more time. "I'm not playing this game, _piccola-_"

"Really?"

"Well, not now, at least. Let's just get out of here."

"As you wish, _bella mia_," Bartolomeo muttered mockingly, finally following the man. Ezio ignored the jab, leading the way as Eden snickered quietly, meeting Ezio's glare with a bright smile.

"What?" she giggled, though quietly enough for only Ezio to hear, "He's telling the truth…you _are _rather pretty-"

"_Eden!" _he hissed, which caused her to laugh even more. Especially as his cheeks flushed a bit.

"No sense of humor, I swear…hey!" she strangled as his hand surreptitiously connected with her bottom with a sound _smack!_ Thankfully, by now, Bartolomeo now led them from his former prison, stalking ahead of them.

"Any more of that and you'll get another one," Ezio sniffed, though his eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Oh, really now?!" she huffed, easily sidestepping his second attempt. "Any more of that and _you'll _get another one-"

"Hmm, I knew you liked to keep things interesting in the bedroom. But really, is this the appropriate place to discuss this, _tesorina?"_

"Why you insufferable-!"

"Eden?" he cut her off.

"What?!"

"You're blushing."

Hand flying to her heated cheek, she vainly tried to sound annoyed. "You son of a bit-" After a moment, her eyes narrowed further. "Well, I guess we shall see how you fare tonight, then. _Alone._"

"Now see? That's just cruel," he immediately backtracked.

Somewhere nearby, bells began to ring, signaling that they were noticed and Silvio's men were put on guard. Mind speedily focusing on the present, they moved swiftly through the district, keeping to the dark alleys and staying out of sight. Bartolomeo never slowed down, and even stayed quiet when needed, only letting through hissed curses when it was all clear.

The stable-turned-barracks were not actually that far, but due to all the caution, it took them nearly twice as much time to get there. To none of their surprise, they were greeted by two of Silvio's men who came outside the gate at the first sight of them.

"Really, now. I should have just killed them when their backs were turned," Eden, grumbled, already pulling out a dagger.

"They would have just sent more men," Ezio shrugged.

"True that, I guess. Gentlemen, can you go to hell or something?" How she was continuously amused by the situation, Ezio would never know.

"Stand down, or die!"

Eden quietly groaned and hit her forehead with her palm, leaving a trace of blood on it. Ezio shared the emotion - sometimes he wondered if there was one short list on the threats to yell at people running on rooftops and assassins, as they all seemed to use the exact same ones.

"No! What's a man's life if it's not lived free?" Bartolomeo shouted with determination, shaking his Bloody Broom of Death at them threateningly. "I will not go back into that cage!"

"Then you will go into the ground!"

* * *

"Bianca! _Bastardi! _God-dammit, if they hurt her..._figlio di puttana!..._Bianca!!!"

I looked around at Ezio in shock, and he stared back for a moment, shrugging. "His wife?" he whispered. Considering the way the mercenary reacted to me, I doubted the suggestion very much.

"Hardly," I sniffed.

We followed him into the house, curiously moving around the broken boxes and littered clutter. Bartolomeo frantically searched around the main room of the barracks for something, continuing to yell and call for Bianca. At one point or another, he looked under a pot, completely assuring me that he was not looking for a human. Turning around, his face suddenly lit up as he lifted his arms in greeting. "Aha! There you are, my darling!"

From the depth of the mess, he withdrew a very heavy looking great sword, caressing it exactly as one would a lover. It would have been a slightly disturbing thing to watch…if I hadn't done just the same…on more that one occasion. Trust me, I completely got his relief.

"Bianca, meet - What's your name again?" he asked Ezio, ignoring me.

"Ezio Auditore," he reminded him.

"Bianca? Meet Ezio!" he easily swung the tip towards Ezio's throat, freezing inches away, "Ezio? Bianca!"

"Charmed," he doubtfully replied, flinching ever-so-slightly and pushing the blade away. It took all my willpower to stifle a giggle.

"And who's your little nuisance?" I felt my hands itch for a heavy object to break over the commander's head.

"Eden Cleare. And so far, I'm completely my own," I humphed, crossing my arms. He waved his free hand in the air dismissively. I was put out by the complete disregard that the man had for me, considering I'd spotted a circular burn mark on his left ring finger while we were moving through the district. With Teodora, Paola, and Antonio in the order, one would think he'd have a bit more respect.

"Why did you come here, anyway?"

"Silvio has overstayed his welcome, and we need your help." I smiled at Ezio discretely for including me in this.

"After what you did, I owe you my life, let alone my help!"

"But let's think practically. What can the three-" he raised an eyebrow, twitching his sword, which he didn't let out of his hands for a moment ever since he got it back. I was not sure whether he didn't like the fact that his weapon was not included, or that I was. "-four of us do? They've got an entire army!"

"A few of my men scattered and hid," the mercenary's voice became more business like, and the sanest I've heard so far. "They will get back here as soon as they hear I've survived. Unfortunately, the rest were captured by Silvio. I want you to go and free them - I cannot leave them behind in good faith."

"_Va bene,_." Ezio nodded. "Eden-"

"I'll find the hideouts," I said quickly, before he could try to convince me to stay behind again. "It will be a lot faster than waiting for them to just show up, considering Silvio has control over this place. They won't hear anything any time soon."

"Good thinking. Bartolomeo, can you tell her where-"

"I'll supervise that myself," the man stated, already turning his back on me, "And she can sit in a corner if she so wishes, as long as she is out of the way."

Ezio must have foreseen what I was going to do before I even made up my mind. Before I could begin to gather breath for a long winded, loud, sarcastic, and insulting speech, he clamped a hand over my mouth gently. "On second thought, you should come with me," he hurried to reassure me. I narrowed my eyes further, and pushed his arm away, ripping myself out of his grip before proudly walking out of the door with my chin turned up.

"She's a feisty one," I heard Bartolomeo mutter, though his muttering was nearly as loud as his normal speech. So basically, still very loud.

_Asshat._

"Yes, she is," Ezio ground out, and followed me outside. As we turned onto the street again, he grasped my arm, stopping me. "Eden..."

Damn it, when he said my name like that, I not only felt like I'd kicked a puppy, but also gouged its eyes out and threw pepper in its nose. "What?"

"I realize that he was not the most polite gentleman, but could you at least not yell at him?"

"Sure. As long as he stops making sexist comments," I crossed my arms, pouting. He stared at me for a long moment, and then began to laugh loudly, not minding my glaring one bit. I even got a little offended, as I hit his shoulder lightly. "Hey! What the hell is so funny?! This is serious business!"

"I'm sorry... _mia cara_," he continued to laugh at me as he said that, "But you are just... so adorable when you do that!"

"What?!" I looked him over, bewildered, and seriously questioning his sanity, "Me? Adorable? HA! Go to hell!"

I did another dramatic, proud exit. Or, I would have, but Ezio called after me quickly, "You're going the wrong way!" Without pausing, I turned around and went back towards and past him with a stony face that made him laugh even harder, until he was bent in half, gasping for air. Paused on the corner of the street, and hiding my own giggling, I waited for him to catch up to me.

"Now, can we talk seriously?" he asked when he caught up with me. I sighed, and agreed to return down to earth with a wave. "We have to find a way to get inside the Arsenal, and then somehow get nearly a hundred men out of there-"

"Considering the fortress is one of the most guarded places in Venice, and all the military power is concentrated there?" I raised a thoughtful eyebrow, then sighed. "How the hell do we get pulled into these suicidal missions?"

"Oh, you know. I have a feeling that everyone knows what we're trying to do, and is trying to make as much use of us as possible."

"Ugh, this is such _bullshit," _I muttered. Ezio only laughed again, and I slapped him upside the back of his head before tossing him a smile of agreement, leading the way to the Arsenal.

* * *

"Two on each side, four at the entrance, three archers along the roofs," I whispered in Ezio's ear quietly. He nodded along with me, while fixing the change of poison on his hidden blade.

I leaned out again, scanning over the area again. This time, I paid more attention to our targets - the mercenaries that were locked up in three cages, which were filled to capacity, leaving little room to move. Never a fan of close quarters, it made me wince. Like Bartolomeo's cage, they were hung about a meter off the ground, and below them, the aqueducts that connected to the canals. I licked my lips nervously.

"What is it?" Ezio asked quietly.

"I'm not sure...listen." I put my finger to my lips, beginning to pay attention to the talking of the guards.

"...probably wants to turn them to our cause."

"They're _mercenari_, like us. Shouldn't be this hard. I say just drown them all now, lower the cage into the water, and be done with this."

My blood ran cold for a moment.

"Silvio is going to give the order any moment," the other one said, "A waste - a hundred trained men-"

"We need to work fast," Ezio muttered with determination. "I'll take care of the guards. Can you find the control panel?"

"Yes, it's just over-"

"Can you work it?"

"I think so."

Honestly, I was not sure. The combination of cogs, gears and leavers looked like something out of Leonardo's workshop. Hell, perhaps it was actually his design. I couldn't see anything properly from the narrow alley, so it would take me a moment to actually figure out how to work it.

"Then what we need, is a distraction," Ezio continued thoughtfully, glancing around. He looked up, and seemed to get an idea. I followed his gaze, but there was nothing there except for an old crane that hovered over the men. Then I suddenly smirked, following his train of thought. "Think you can hit the rope from here?"

I mentally calculated the distance, my hand already falling onto one of my throwing knives. "Only one way to find out..."

I straightened out, and waited for the moment that all the guards' backs were turned to take a step out of cover. Flinging the knife up towards the rope that held the large platform did the job beautifully. While it didn't slice the rope clean through, the weight of the load did the rest. The last strings popped, and it came crashing down of three of the guards, who didn't even realize what was going on.

We began immediately. As soon as the four guards at the entrance turned and rushed inside, Ezio quietly positioned himself so he cut them off from the rest of the Arsenal. I, on the other hand, rushed to the control panel, wasting only one more throwing knife on them. One more man fell, and I fluttered up over the rails, braking sharply at the panel. The set up only took one moment. The next, the men realized what was going on, I heard swords being drawn and clashing, and the men began to shout. I doubted anyone would hear them from here, and even if they did, they'd think it were the captured mercenaries.

The panel was completely foreign to me, with three levers that obviously did not have any labels on them. I ducked down below it and tried to trace the paths each would create.

"Eden! Behind you!" I rolled out of the way quickly, just in time to dodge a blade, and kicked out. By the sound and muffled howl of pain, I realized I hit his kneecap, likely dislocating it. I finished the man off quickly with my dagger, kicking him into the canal.

"Screw it," I hissed, and pulled on the first lever. The cogs were set in motion, and I heard the cracking of the strained ropes. The mercenaries let out a howl of retort, and I realized that that was the lever that submerged the cage into the water. It began to lower slowly, the water climbing up their feet. Ezio finally finished with the guards, coming up beside me as I was trying to figure out what to do next; one of the two remaining levers could just let the cage go completely. I was beginning to panic slightly.

"_Che cazzo!_ What are you doing?!"

"Trying to stop it!" I frantically replied.

"I can see that..."

"Do you have a better idea?!"

"Yes!"

His hand shot out, and he stabbed his wide dagger in between the gears, deeply piercing the wood. They creaked, clanked over the metal, and stopped. The cage froze, and we both let out a breath of relief. As well as all the mercenaries that were locked up in the said cage.

"I knew there was a reason I love you!" I stated, now having the time to properly examine the machine. After a minute, I finally realized that the second lever let the cage go, the first one needed to be pulled back up to stop the movements, and the last one opened the cage door.

"Eden, you think you can take care of another location by yourself?" Ezio called out in front of me, ushering the mercenaries out the cage as they quickly thanked him. I was admittedly surprised as they made their way over to me and did the same.

"Knowing how this thing works? No problem. I'm also going to twist Leonardo's head off the next time I see him, just so you know." I growled.

"We'll secure the gates, _signorina,_" one of the mercenaries stated - he was in a better shape than a lot of his men, and looked eager to repay Silvio's men in kind. "We won't be able to hold them for long, so you'll have to move fast to get everyone out."

"Will do," I shrugged, gathering up my weapons. "Does anyone need medical attention?" Nearly all hands raised in the air, and I rephrased, "Does anyone need any immediate treatment?" This time, a lot of the hands dropped, but there was still quite a few. I could not fix the broken limbs, but I tended to several infected cuts and wounds as quickly as possible. Ezio and I soon ran out of bandages, as well as disinfectants and that weird sniffing powder that the doctors sold. But what I loved about the mercenaries was that none of them whined in pain or made the injuries bigger than they actually were, just wrinkling their noses at the sting.

As soon as most of the men were back in battle shape (or...close enough), Ezio quickly organized them, and began to lead them away from the ship yard. Soon, I followed the direction he pointed me in.

* * *

"Come on, this way," I gestured the newly freed mercenaries to follow. I didn't have the supplies to treat the injuries, but I figured they could seek out a doctor immediately after we got out of the Arsenal walls. They allowed me to take the lead without any cocky remarks or questions, thankfully, somewhat impressed by my quick execution of their guards. As soon as we mentioned Bartolomeo, they had no problem. As far as I understood their philosophy, they didn't care if their leader sent a woman or not, as long as it was an order for them.

The strange part was when we were almost at the gates, and the guards on the gates became visible. Ezio was just returning with the other group from the opposite end of the Arsenal. I was going to rush to him, but I suddenly gasped. My hand shot out to the nearest support, which was a warrior by the name Ludo, my other hand clutching at my stomach. It felt as if my breath was knocked out of my lungs, and I bent down, nearly pitching forward headfirst to the ground. Breaths coming in shallow gasps, the pain hit me like a punch, the noise around us a crescendo of a dull roar in my ears. Blinking, my vision swam, like I'd just emerged from being under water, nearly drowning. The world began to spin...

_Wrong...something is so…WRONG..._

I was always connected to two people _- _Ezio, and Adel. I tuned into them automatically now, without even thinking, their presence tugging at me constantly. Whenever something out of the ordinary or violent happened to either of them, the strings that I held seemed to bind us all together, at least, in theory...

"_Signorina_, are you alright?" I could hear Ludo ask nearby, supporting me as if afraid I was going to kneel over any moment. I sure felt like it...

"Eden!" That was Ezio - his touch made reality come crashing back into the world, finally returning its pillars the right way up. I blinked, shook my head, and took a deep breath as I regained my balance. Ezio looked concerned, almost scared. But he was unharmed, no? That left...

"Adel!" I gasped out.

"I know," he winced, bringing a hand to his chest and blinking rapidly, as though in pain. "I felt it," he confirmed, and I sensed the world dropping out from under me once again. "Let's get these men to Bartolomeo, and we'll look for her at once."


	29. Chapter 28

Leonardo paced across Bartolomeo's barracks feverishly, looking down at his feet with guilt and worry. Ezio was arguing with the owner of the questionable house, getting more and more fired up by the moment.

"Ezio, we are mercenaries! We don't just go looking for missing children, just as we don't rescue cats from trees and packages from the canals!"

"Except when someone pays you to?" the assassin angrily snarled, eye bright with fiery retort. Bartolomeo seemed to take offense at the comment, but continued plowing on.

"We have no men to spare, amici! We have to hold this part of the district, at least, and most of my troops are still getting over their injuries!"

"Tell that to the girl that was kidnapped by Silvio's men!"

"We don't even know if she's still alive!"

"She is, I would have known if she was dead - Eden, say something!" Ezio turned to me, nearly pleading for me to finally voice my thoughts. I looked at him, and then back to the rhythmic movements of the artist.

"You know, I lost a button," I said calmly, in a monotone voice that didn't even sound as if it belonged to me. "Looked for it all week...It wasn't at the Seta."

"Eden, what are you talking about? What button?" Ezio stared at me as if seriously fearing for my mental health.

"Maybe it's in my bag? " Now, everyone present has stopped their movements to look at me incredulously as I picked through the pockets of my bag.

"What about Adel-"

"I don't feel her any more. She's too far away." I shrugged, continuing to look for the button. "We can't comb the entire city, can we?"

"No, but-"

"Then...help me search for the button."

"What...what the hell?She finally lost it." Ezio proclaimed to Bartolomeo and Leonardo, whose faces I imagined to be very long and shocked. Then he gently took my bag away from me, setting it down onto the floor again, and pulled me up. I felt somewhat like a puppet, obediently moving at his command. Brows creased and eyes watery, his face was worried and concerned. It felt like that was the only expression on his face the last twenty four hours. "Eden, per fervore, listen to me - I need your help to find Adel, so don't tell me you gave up before you even started. That's just...not like you."

I blinked at him. Somehow, I didn't even react, or even register the words. His voice was nice, though. Even, smooth, familiar, if worried. "Would you rather me throw a pointless fit, scream and yell, and then storm off into god knows where, trying to search for Adel? If some jackass of a mercenary can't even find a child in this city that was captured by Templars, then what chances does a weak woman like me have?"

"Who ever said we can't find her? I don't have the men or the time to-" Bartolomeo snapped, crossing his impressive arms.

"Maybe we should all just calm down," Leonardo spoke for the first time, preventing the rant that I felt coming on as my shock faded slightly. I clenched my teeth, and sat back down, crossing my legs and arms. Pinching the bridge of his nose and closing his eyes for a moment, the artist let out a few deep breathes, as though centering himself before he began. "We know she's in the city," he counted off on his fingers, "As they simply haven't had the time to secure passage elsewhere. We know that she was kidnapped by Silvio. Now, we just have to figure out where they would keep her."

"The better question is 'Why,'" Ezio shook his head, "Why take her in the first place, and why keep her alive?"

"Maybe they want something with her."

"Perhaps," Leonardo thoughtfully stroked his chin. "We still don't know what type of trouble her father landed her in. But maybe they want to use her to blackmail us."

"How could they find out about her?"

"There's plenty of ways," Leo shrugged, "Turncoats, bribes, simply doing their research or following us around."

"So, we know the motive. Now what?" I asked irritably.

Ezio gave me a reproachful glance, but continued, "Now, chances are Silvio or one of his men will try to contact us to pass the message."

"They couldn't have just left a note, could they?" I stood up again, and turned away from everyone, walking out the door briskly. It was sometime after midnight now, but this part of the city was more alive than when we first found it. The rescued mercenaries didn't waste time in occupying their base once more, and now, the warmth of the fires and the laughter of men came in from all sides. A lot of them were just happy to finally be out of their cages.

I bit my lip hard to chase away the tears that were suddenly threatening to spill. Walking through the camp, tiredly, it was easy to ignore or simply not hear the called invitations to join them for food and drink. No one insisted on my company though, thankfully, and I was left to wander alone.

How could I let this happen to Adel? I should have just found a way to get her away from us when I still had a chance. But now... now, if she lives through the experience and doesn't run away from us screaming, I very much doubt I could just send her away somewhere. And how were we supposed to find her, now? I couldn't feel her position anymore, just the fact that she was alive and relatively unharmed. I'd found people before, too - back when I had many contacts and sources. But now...

Holy fucking hell...

I was slightly surprised that Ezio didn't follow me. Even a bit hurt, actually. I paused suddenly when the Arsenal came into view, realizing how far I wandered, and then the fact that Ezio was following me, silently walking behind me a considerable distance.

"You need to improve your sneaking," I muttered wearily, leaning into a pillar that lined the canal.

"You need to improve your detection skills," he quietly replied, coming up beside me, "I've been following you for five minutes now."

I didn't reply for a moment. "What do you think is happening in there?"

"Well, they are most likely planning our complete annihilation and the dominion over Venice," he sniffed wrapping his arms around me. Closing my eyes, I almost eagerly pressed into the familiar warmth of his chest, "And, of course, discussing the prices of biscuits."

"What?" I stared up at him, raising an eyebrow. He was smiling slightly, and I couldn't help but grin as well. "I think we spend too much time together, amore."

"Whatever gave you that idea?" I deadpanned, though I wound my fingers into the comforting softness of his robes. "Come on, let's go back," I said after a long while, tired of staring at the water lapping along the sides of the canals, "You're exhausted, and we can figure everything out in the morning."

* * *

Adel took in her prison, eyes narrowing at the dark, mostly damp room. Ears pricking, she could swear she heard the murmur of water all around her. Like it was right under the canals. There were no windows, just a few flickering torches that hissed at the seeping, stone walls. The lack of natural sunlight made it seem small and crowded to the point of claustrophobia. But she secretly swore to herself that she wouldn't be scared. After all, the dark did nothing; it was the people who put there she needed to worry about.

The man that dragged her was a lot gentler than she would have guessed he'd be with anyone older. Not that it added to his image. But still, at the very least she wouldn't have too many bruises tomorrow. After forcing herself to get over her initial fear of being snatched from the crowd, she soon calmed down enough to ask questions that just hung without any answers. Once, she even tried screaming at him on the way. But he ignored her, continuing to tow her through the backstreets, into the Arsenal gates, and then somewhere into a place best described as a dungeon.

Then she lost her sense of direction - they turned left and right, walking past and through doors and archways. Once, they passed a table of men, half of them cursing at the others for reasons she didn't hear. No one paid them any mind.

When they passed another door, a man stepped out, and the guard dragging her paused.

"Damn dogs..." the newcomer muttered. He had an unpleasant wet-dog smell on him that lay thickly in the area.

"Giving you trouble?" Adel's kidnapper asked with some sympathy.

"Oh, no. Don't know what they did to those things, but they just stand and wait for their food. Creepy." both of them shivered, and Adel narrowed her eyes slightly, listening closely. Everything she found out now would help Ezio and Eden, she decided. Besides, she was past the point of being scared stiff, and the guard barely bothered in keeping her contained.

"The sooner they get them out of Venezia, the better," her guy agreed.

"Who's the girl?"

"The assassin's ward or something. I don't know - Silvio asked, I deliver," he shrugged.

"I'm right here!" Adel grumbled, irritated by the fact that both of them completely ignored her. The dog-man spared her a pitying glance, but waved them off, and they continued further into the dungeon.

They finally stopped in front of a doorway, and her captor knocked on it twice.

"Enter," a bored voice sounded from the other side, and the thug pushed the door open, shoving her inside.

The first thing Adel saw was the thick, short man with a red hood that was standing by his desk. His little bloodshot eyes darted over them, and he nodded, an unpleasant and manic smirk twisting his mouth.

"That the girl?"

"Yes. Our spies tell us she's a pupil of the assassins."

"How their standards have fallen," Silvio muttered with disgust, attempting to stare the girl down. Unimpressed, she stared right back. "Adelaide Nevalle. There are people looking for you..."

"I know," she stated loudly, standing up straighter and refusing to break his gaze. Her temporary guardian assassins suspected as much, which was why they continued to keep her within sight. "And you have to know that when Eden and Ezio hear of this-"

"They will do what, exactly?" he raised a mocking eyebrow, "Come here? Try and rescue you? We have them outnumbered a hundred to one. They're not stupid; they know that they can't just take a risk like that for one girl who still hasn't learned to keep her tongue behind her teeth."

"What do you want with me?" she attempted to wrench her arms away from the man who stood beside her, but she'd have better luck trying to get Excalibur from the stone.

"Oh, not much. See, on the account that your dear assassins are stupid enough to come look for you, I have you as a bargaining chip. You life for - what's her name, Eden? And then, if they don't come, there's a nice little price on your pretty little head, as well. Actually, I can do both!" She knew what he meant - all the years of eavesdropping on her parents, all the years of being subtle taught manipulation at its dirtiest form had paid off. Even if they got Eden, they wouldn't let her go. And she knew that Eden would play right into it, too...

Adel thought of Eden. The closest thing to a mother figure, or perhaps a sister that she had. She jumped into a flaming building for her...but she was untouchable, somehow - Eden couldn't just give herself up like that. At the very least, Ezio wouldn't let her. But...perhaps she could?

"So tell me, little girl, are you scared? Don't be, as we have no use in either killing or hurting you," Silvio was trying to play with her head, his voice stating the complete opposite of what he was saying.

"You're the one that should be afraid," she with a slightly trembling voice. "They will find you," she snorted, meeting Silvio's eyes defiantly. He narrowed his eyes further, but didn't allow his anger to spill just yet. She continued. "You know the rumors, yes? The Lady of Justice and Angel of Death? They say they always find their targets-"

"Ezio Auditore, and his whore, Eden?" the man began to laugh suddenly, the menacing tone sending violent shivers down her back. "Let them come! We shall greet them with open arms! And, of course, chains and steel."

"You won't get them," she shook her head, "They never got caught."

"What do you know, girl?" the man finally snarled, "Your heroes are nothing more than filthy assassins, killing for their own purposes! Cold blooded murderers - do you really think that they will care if you die here?"

"Yes!" Adel's eyes widened the moment she realized that she shouldn't have said that. Silvio's eyes became even more maniac-like and bulging, and he suddenly reminded her more of a bullfrog.

"Well, then. We shall see just how far they will go to save you, won't we?"

* * *

I woke up in Ezio's arms, the flattened straw prickling at me slightly. He was awake, his fingers playing with my hair absently, soothing my initial worry. It'd gotten nearly too long, trailing along my shoulder blades now in my general disregard for cutting it. Back home, that'd never been the case. But I sighed contently, and closed my eyes again, not wanting to move from the spot.

The moment the events of the day before hit me, though, I sat up sharply, Ezio letting me slip through his arms in surprise. Looking around and trying to blink through the haze, I finally realized that it was dawn. We lay in a hay bundle not far from Bartolomeo's barracks. Still fully clothed and armored, only our weapons lay hidden in the hay beside us.

The camp was amazingly quiet, something I didn't expect from mercenaries who rarely slept past the first light. But I guess they had an excuse. The light was coming from the main room of the barracks, mostly, Bartolomeo probably having already gathered the handful of most trusted people in there.

Ezio got up without a word, pulling me up after him. I stood up, willing myself to stay focused on the plans in front of us. Adel was fine. For now...

"-ten men patrolling around the perimeter, twenty up on the walls. The rest are either in the district or concentrated inside," Ludo was saying as we walked through the massive doors into the newly cleaned up map room. Bartolomeo looked completely concentrated on the charters of the military district, barely even looking up as we joined him.

"That's not good. How many of our men are ready for battle?"

"Less than two thirds are already eager to get back at Silvio for their capture. But a lot of them still have injuries - we can't send them out to anywhere."

"How's the morale?"

"...not the best," one of the other men admitted. "They are just happy to be alive and free, though not all of them are ready to go through that again."

"We'll be slaughtered at the gates," I said in monotone, my thoughts coldly calculating everything I heard. I was back into the state of shock, my mind turning like gears in a clock, everything perfectly ordered, emotion and confusion the farthest you could get away from my thoughts. The men present turned towards me, most with a raised eyebrow, and Bartolomeo with slightly irritated look to him. I ignored him, and continued. "There are too many men. The last time we got in using stealth, and held the gates for only ten minutes. There are too many men, and there's nothing stopping them from slamming those gates right in our faces the moment they see us. A direct mass attack is suicide."

As always.

There was a slightly surprised silence, and then Bartolomeo grudgingly agreed. "She's right. We'll be massacred before we even get it."

"So, stealth again?" Ezio asked no one in particular. I shook my head.

"Won't fly the second time. We have no idea where Silvio or Dante are. It would take too long to find them. And besides, I saw a way out of the Arsenal, but not how to get inside, aside from the front gates. And, probably the sewer system, though I somehow doubt that Venice even has one considering you have canals running instead of-."

"Wait," Bartolomeo suddenly interrupted me, "Our main problem are the men inside the Arsenal. If we could just draw them out, the way would be clear for us to go inside and find Silvio. We have enough men to start up fights in different locations of the district. They will be forced to dispatch most of their men. That should lure Silvio out. He's a State official, but not a commander - he won't realize the trick."

"When can we start?" Ezio asked, raising an eyebrow. The plan, however feeble, was forming.

"Today. We'll have to work tomorrow, as well, but if all goes over well, the Arsenal will be ours by tomorrow's nightfall."

"What about Adel?" Ezio glanced at me, and I bit my lip, struggling to keep the thought from taking over my mind again. "They have a valuable bargaining chip on us. No doubt he will use it."

"I think I should go talk to Silvio, then."

The reaction was immediate - Ezio turned on me with huge eyes, his jaw hanging off with shock.

"Eden, you can't possibly be thinking-"

"Listen, if he wants to use her, he'll have to at least show us the fact that she's alive and tradable. While I talk, you can sneak up, take down whoever is holding her, and we can get the hell out," I spoke quickly. "It will also give us a chance to see how things work inside. Gather some sort of idea on where he's coming out of, and where he'll be returning to."

There was a short silence. "And if we get caught?"

"We won't get caught," I stated firmly, crossing my arms. "Besides, any men we take down will be less men for the mercenaries to fight when the final attack begins."

"The girl has a point." Surprisingly, it was Bartolomeo that spoke up for me. In shock, I even forgave him the "girl" comment. "If you two are anything like the stories I heard and what you've showed so far..."

"So what, are we going to just march up there and demand an audience with Silvio?"

"That is exactly what we're going to do." After a moment, I sighed. "Ezio, trust me. When have my plans failed?"

"Do you really want me to answer that question?" he asked sarcastically, and I ignored him - there was nothing he could say in that moment to stop me from going through with the plan.

* * *

Ezio knew it was all a bad idea. He thought of it for what felt like a millionth time as he shadowed Eden's step - she marched right up to the Arsenal, not bothering with discretion, giving the archers on the walls time to alert Silvio. He thought about it when she walked through the gates, and he knew it for sure when she came into contact with Silvio, who most likely just couldn't resist coming personally, just to be able to laugh at her. On one side of him was Dante, as emotionless as ever, holding Adel. The girl herself looked relatively unharmed, except for the blade that was pressed to her throat. She looked horrified, however, staring at Eden with huge eyes and shaking her head slightly.

"Ah, so you did come. How charming!" Ezio heard Silvio begin as he used the distraction to slip inside of the gates unnoticed. Eden crossed her arms, staring at the man. If Ezio didn't know better, he'd say that she was completely relaxed and unarmed, but that was just an illusion. Her fingers were gliding over the folds of her cloak in a gesture that could pass as a nervous tick. Neither Silvio nor Dante fell for it, though, their eyes following her hands carefully. If the situation was different, she would have been amused by just how closely they were watching her, but now, she stayed cold. The only hint of apprehension she gave away was that her hands began to move slightly faster.

"And where's that brat, Auditore?" Silvio sneered, "Ditched you already?"

"He doesn't know I'm here," she lied. "Now, I suggest you let the girl go."

"And why would I do that? You're surrounded by my men, and there is no way out of the Arsenal without my say." Silvio still wore a mocking smirk, but he seemed a lot less confident than before. Especially as Eden continued to stare at him, her eyes dark and inscrutable.

"Because you must know of my reputation," she replied smoothly, and Ezio could tell she was improvising on the spot. "I can kill all the men standing here in under five minutes," she rolled her eyes, "You and your dumb brute bodyguard included." Adel's eyes twitched slightly, for some reason confused.

"If you try anything, your precious little brat is dead," Silvio hissed.

"I'd really rather not waste time here unless I'm forced to. I'll say it again, and slowly, of course, so you can understand. Let. Her. Go," she ground, and more throwing knives fell into her hands with each word. He noticed the movement, and Ezio could have sworn there was a hint of fear in his eyes. But his arrogance was greater, winning out for the moment.

It was Ezio's cue. He began to sidle around the crowd carefully, for they'd stopped to watch the peculiar girl in front of them. Blending, but still staying out of sight, he made his way towards the spot where the Templars stood. She must have noticed his movements, but he had to hand it to her, for her eyes didn't even twitch in his direction, not giving anything away. She was a good actress, he speedily realized.

"I don't think you want to do that," he hissed, and Dante pressed the dagger further into the girl's neck. She winced, but stayed still, not trying to call out. Good girl, Eden inwardly sighed with relief. At least she managed to learn something, if unintentionally.

"Fine," Eden's voice was carefully controlled, though her eyes raged. "What do you want?"

"Oh, a lot of things," Silvio shrugged, inspecting his nails for a moment before he glanced back at her. "I suppose you won't make your band of mercenaries stand down for a child, though you assassins are a weird bunch," he still smiled menacingly. The bastard was enjoying every moment of this.

"Pot, kettle, anyone?" Ezio heard the woman mutter lowly.

"I'll just have to settle, then. Stand down, and I'll let the girl go." Ezio's fists clenched suddenly, and he froze, listening to the negotiations carefully now.

"Why is it you people want to capture me so badly?"

"The Master wants you, and he will give me a reward for bringing you to him. Of course, he never quite stipulated what condition you are brought to him in. Simply, as long as you're alive." Ezio's insides all but twisted together, the bile rising in his throat as Silvio so casually toyed with Eden's life. There was no question in what Silvio meant by that. The assassin suddenly wanted to forget the plan, and just get Eden as far away as he could from the man. Swallowing and taking a deep, long breath to forcing himself to focus, it took all of his resolve to slowly continue on his way around the guards. She wouldn't thank him kindly if he did something stupid, brash and dangerous. For not only did he have her life in his hands, but the child's as well.

The actions of one must never bring harm to all, he heard his uncle's voice suddenly echo in his head. Eden was far more than a brother.

She was his other half.

"Well, I think that's a fair trade, then," she agreed, as was according to her plan. Silvio seemed to choke on her apparent willingness to be captured. Dante threw a questioning look to the man.

"Dante, subdue her, then," the Templar quickly recovered, smiled maniacally.

Dante nodded shortly, handing off Adel to the nearest Templar mercenary, along with the blade at her throat, and picked up his axe. Ezio resisted the urge to curse. He hoped to get both of them in one go, but now he'd have to settle for a pawn to save Adel, as Silvio would no doubt take off at the first sight of became slightly worried as Dante approached Eden, who watched the man wearily. He stared at her like she was just a random person in the crowd, not worth attention, even if he was intending to doom her to imprisonment.

Two things happened at once.

Ezio sliced the throat of the man holding Adel, shoving him roughly away to the side. She stumbled back a few steps backwards, and Ezio caught her, holding her tightly to him, now in a protective gesture.

Eden shot off as if a spring popped, taking a graceful lunge away from Dante, who grasped thin air. As she did, her blades glinted in her hands, and a relieved smile appeared on her lips.

The next moment, Silvio disappeared into seemingly nowhere, shouting one last order to his men, at which they began to move, their weapons already drawn and threatening. But the two assassins didn't even think about lingering around. Regrouping, they simultaneously shot through the one weak spot where Silvio used to be, tearing through the circle of guards. The way back was not an option, as the gates had slammed shut half way through the negotiation, and the archers did not look at all friendly. But Eden seemed to have something in mind as she took the lead, piloting them through the narrow spaces between the warehouses and cages. The bells began to toll loudly overhead, signaling all the mercenaries in the Arsenal.

"Where are we going?" Ezio finally asked on the go. She didn't reply for a moment, and then suddenly stopped, sharply turning behind some building. Out of breath and slightly confused, he followed, Adel still in his arms.

"Up this building is the only way out of the Arsenal aside from the gates," Eden finally explained. "It comes up close to the top of the walls, and you can climb down from there. Or even jump into the water, though I wouldn't recommend it. That a pretty long-ass fall "

He looked up, and realized she was right - the building gave an impression of several houses stacked on each other. "Climb down how?"

"Thank Bartolomeo for this one - he had one of his men blend in, and throw a rope down the blind spot. In a case like this, a long time ago, now."

"They'll notice us climbing up, anyway, though." It was surprisingly Adel who said that. They both stared at her, but realized she was right.

"I'll distract them. I think I have one more trick up my sleeve that will get them off our tails for now," Eden suddenly said, smiling in that usual frightening manner of hers when she plotting to do something absolutely insane. Ezio didn't like that one little bit...

"What are you thinking?"

"Nothing," she quickly said. She's lying "Take Adel, climb up, avoid or dispose of archers, and climb down. But most importantly, follow through with Bartolomeo's plan. If everything goes well, I'll see you at the attack tomorrow," she instructed, a new determination coming to her. This time, it was the confident "Just try me, I dare you" attitude that Ezio knew would lead to something very...dramatic. And possibly extremely dangerous.

"Eden-"

She smiled at him reassuringly as she stretched up to kiss him. It was short, urgent. And for some reason, it scared him. He held her in place, not allowing her to pull away. The frightening thought that if something went wrong this would be his last memory of her made it hard to let go. When she finally slipped out of his arms, she spared Adel a swift glance (for some reason, she was avoiding eye contact with the girl), and then disappeared back around the corner.

Taking a deep breath, Ezio gathered his thoughts.

"E-Ezio- Eden, she-" Adel sounded frightened.

"I know," he told her, keeping his voice even and controlled. "Calm down. Can you climb?"

"No-"

"Then you'll have to learn fast. Come on."

The worked carefully, keeping as close to the wall as possible. Ezio lifted the girl up so she could climb ahead of him, and followed her closely, listening and feeling to everything around, hoping to get some sort of wind of Eden. There was a loud commotion, and he had to clench his jaw just to continue climbing up, instead of looking down.

When the two finally managed to get onto the walls, he ushered her to the cover of the nearest guard post's roof. Fortunately, most of the archers patrolling were farther away, focusing something down below them. Ezio made Adel get onto his back once he found the rope that Eden mentioned. She was right - it was in a blind spot, the wall turned away from the city. That was likely the only reason it was still intact. Adel clutched into him, choking him slightly, but she was nearly weightless, so he had no problem climbing down. When they were low enough, he jumped down to the thin dock that encircled the walls.

They made it out. And Eden was still inside...

"She walked right up to them!" There was a hint of frustration and fascination in Adel's voice as they hurried along, back into the city, "Just like that! It's what they wanted, Ezio, how could you have-"

"Adel, please, shh, piccola. It's going to be alright," Ezio hardly believed that, and the girl did not buy it, either, staring around nervously and flinching at the slightest sound. "Come on, let's get you out of here."

"We have to go and get her!"

"She...asked me not to. Adel, she risked her life for you a second and third time in the last hour, don't go and ruin all of it," Ezio said as softly as he could manage, but there were still steel notes in his voice.

"I didn't mean it, I'm so sorry, I didn't want that to happen-"

Ezio sighed, stopping. Then he crouched down, and drew the girl closer to him, holding the frightened child. The gesture seemed to work, as she muttered a few more words, and then just hid her face in his shoulder, struggling to contain her tears. He stroked her hair, looking back towards the direction of the Arsenal walls.

"She knows what she is doing," he repeated his thoughts out loud, "I learned to trust that, and so should you."

"But-"

"Adel, please. Be quiet- they're likely looking for us, as well." Ezio pinched the bridge of his nose against the upcoming headache. "Consider this entire situation a lesson."

"In what? Getting caught?" she crossed her arms in frustration.

"No. In staying quiet. You did wonderfully back there, so let's try it again, shall we?"

He really didn't fancy getting caught by the guards by talking too loudly about their escape with Adel. That would be so humiliating, Eden would laugh for two hours straight when she heard.

"Damn it!" Bartolomeo slammed his massive fist onto the table, making everything in the room jump. "Now she can tell him our plans! You idiots, what were you think-"

"She won't talk," Ezio dropped confidently. Adel was safely in the Palazzo della Seta, under the strict promise not to leave. Antonio was informed of the latest development, and only then did Ezio come back to the commander to finally start up the plan.

"Ah, so much trust. How can you be sure?"

"I've known her for nearly a year, and she already managed to convince me," he crossed his arms. "She said to carry on as planned. She'll join up later."

"So now the girl is making all the decisions?"

"Bartolomeo!" Ezio finally snapped, throwing up his hands in annoyance and letting out a long string of curses before he nearly snarled, "Basta! Calm down, for god sake! She knows what she is doing, si? And so far, your plan is our best shot. The men are already in place, and it's time to launch the attack, ideally, as soon as possible!"

They stared at each other for a long moment, and then the commander finally nodded.

"Fine."

"Good."

* * *

_~Death is a funny thing. Cold, unwavering, and yet gentle, soothing. Welcoming, even. A fragile woman with a terrifying mask and motherly hands. She was patient. Where did she have to rush to? She always got hers in the end. The price we pay for the decades, or sometimes, mere moments of life. Only to be swept somewhere away to our next birth, or perhaps to nothingness. We don't care where weare taken anymore. That moment after death cleanly erases our memories, letting us start something new, to either redeem ourselves or only prove more sinister._

_But to who? Who cared for the squabbles of mortals? God, who allowed his world to become corrupted in such a way? The spirits of the pagan gypsies? The cosmos? Ah, but they were all one in the same, were they not? No...those things did not matter. Not in the end. The only one that did matter was that one person who didn't just devote one life to you, and you them, but all their lives, all their reincarnations._

_A cruel twist of fate. A short punishment. A misplaced lifetime. That was all the gods were able to throw at us when we displeased them so greatly. But even they couldn't hold the world apart. Yin always found the yang, black was always found white, the sun would always win and lose against the moon. So spun the cycle unto eternity. Those things could not be stopped, they simply were. Such was the design._

_Life was never more clear than it was in death.~_

* * *

The final preparations were taken care of, fast. The entire camp was put in a near frenzy. Buzzing and rushing about, the mercenaries, even the ones still recovering from injuries, were finally beginning to gain their confidence back. Apparently, they were planning to attack a long time ago, but Silvio took them by surprise. And everyone was just itching to get some much needed revenge on him and his men for the humiliation that they received. Ezio didn't wait around with the gathering force - his job was to set off the signal to the men already stationed through the district. The single firework shot up straight into the air from the highest point of the district, piercing through the evening sky, and exploding into the stars.

The reaction was immediate. Even from his position upon the steeple of the cathedral, he could hear the ambushes beginning and ending, and the calling of men. He could see nearly every location becoming active, the clash of weapons loud in the night. Balancing on the cross, got up, took a short breath, and leaped down into the haystack below. It would have been faster to go into the water, but he knew from experience how hard it was to fight in wet clothes and armor. He didn't waste any time in crossing over the canal separating him from the mercenaries he was supposed to regroup with.

Bartolomeo's men already entered into battle, attacking the group that Dante Moro led. The bull was charging in coldly with his axe, but the commander was a good match for him, with Bianca getting in the way of the huge weapon.

"Ezio! About time!" Bartolomeo greeted him loudly over the pitched battle as he joined in, immediately ending the lives of two men with his hidden blades, and drawing out his sword.

"Has Eden shown up yet?" Ezio called immediately. She was the only thing on his mind, even though he knew how dangerous it was for him to be blinded by emotion and distracted by worry like that.

"Quit yapping about that girl, we still have to break through the Arsenal's remaining defenses!"

At that, Dante suddenly took a step away, skillfully dodging what would have been a nasty blow of Bartolomeo's sword.

"Must... get back to master..." Ezio heard him mutter as he ran towards the gates.

Infiltrating the nearly empty Arsenal was easier than Ezio could have imagined. They met virtually no opposition, cutting through the district like a knife through warm butter. It wasn't long before Ezio and Bartolomeo met the final defense which was led by Dante himself, while Silvio, as predicted, shouted orders from the safety of the ramparts. Of course, in between those, the porca puttana didn't forget to scream insults.

"A fine specimen, isn't he?" he drawled as Dante managed to land a heavy hit on Bartolomeo's shoulder. Luckily, it connected with the armor, leaving a deep gash that would have to be immediately repaired, but Bartolomeo's arm still intact and moving. "You should be honored to die by his hand!"

Bartolomeo, who was not really known for his patience, hollered curses and profanities right back. Ezio was still attempting to get behind Dante, but with no luck. The bodyguard was fast, skilled, and weilded a heavy weapon that was definitely a force to be reckoned with.

"Get that cordado!" Bartolomeo shouted at Ezio, and the assassin, darting back from the duel, popped open his pistol. "You're too late! There's nothing you can do to stop us now!"

Confused by the man's words, Ezio had to dodge an incoming blow - the first bullet sparked, and hit the wall a good two feet away from the Inquisitor.

"Hah! You pretend you don't know! Though once Dante is done with you and your muscle-bound friend, it'll hardly matter either way! You'll just follow your fool father!" Silvio continued to taunt. Enraged by the mention of his father, Ezio missed again. "Do you know what my greatest regret is? That I couldn't have been the one to pull that lever and watch your miserable dad kick, gasp, and dangle! And then, of course, there would have been plenty of time for that winesack of an uncle of yours, Mario, and your mother. And that luscious little strawberry, Claudia, your sister! How long was it since I fucked anything under twenty-five! Mind you, I'd keep the last two for the voyage - it can get quite lonely out at sea..."

Ezio felt his fury nearly burst at the seams as he tried to tune out the annoying voice. But that was when the worst came.

"How sad that your little whore, Eden didn't last long...Oh, how she begged for me to end it, how she suffered. Her screams were simply marvelous-"

A tremor of something that went well beyond rage shot through Ezio. He knew the Inquisitor was bluffing. Eden would never beg. Not even in her dying breath. But what if-

Something changed, he realized. He glanced at his smoking gun, and realized that Silvio was cut off by the bullet slamming into his shoulder, close to his neck. But the man didn't fall - just called for Dante, and the two of them retreated somewhere behind the walls.

"Ezio! After them! We'll stop the guards from following!" Bartolomeo shouted the order at him. But Ezio didn't need it- he was already flying through the open gates and after the Templars, the blood-lust singing in his ears, a dull but rising roar of revenge, as it did during his very first hunt for his family's killers.

He barely registered the black gallery that was leaving through the massive gates of the Arsenal. That must have been what forced Silvio and Dante to retreat - they were heading for one of the last boats in harbor. He jumped off the crates, pulling himself up to the planks on the crane, following the two and easily keeping up. Minutes before they reached the boat, he jumped down on them, both of his hidden blades sinking into their throats.

"Where were you sailing? I thought all this was to get the Doge's seat," Ezio growled at Silvio, holding the man up and pressing on his wound, so he could talk. His anger still bubbled inside him, but he remembered his Uncle's words, and forced himself to think clearly.

"Just... a distraction...we were meant...to sail..."

"Where?"

"I'll never tell you!"

"C-cyprus was their destination!" That came from Dante, whose wound was slightly less terrible, if still lethal. He still had some time left.

"Is Eden on that ship?"

"The girl? No." Ezio sighed with relief, but Dante was not done. "She's dead...we threw her body with the others..."

Something in Ezio tensed, creaked, pulled, and snapped.

He dropped Silvio's corpse to the ground without even realizing it, his fists clenching around the dying man's collar as he brought his face up closely, shaking him with barely-contained rage beginning to cloud his vision.

"Jesus Cristo What?"

"Killed I-I saw it..." Dante's eyes slid closed as he took a final, gurgled breath. Eyes wide with disbelief, Ezio shook him roughly, desperate to get more out of the man. But it was too late. He let the dead man slip out of his fingers, and slumped onto the ground, staring at the streaks of blood smeared across the tile.

It was impossible.

Eden could not be dead.

There was a hand on his shoulder, but he barely registered. All he could think off was the laughing face of his beloved woman. Cazzo!It was not...possible...he would have known - he would have felt it if something happened- Dante was lying- he-

"Ezio!" the assassin's head snapped up, but it was not the owner of the voice that played in his head. It was a mercenary, with sad eyes. Ezio watched dumbly as he lowered a long, wet bundle onto the ground in front of him, and took a step back. As if in a stupor, he reached over, and brushed the dark, damp hair. Eden's pale face nearly made him scream, though he was expecting it. He scrambled to her, but she simply lay there, as limp and unresponsive as a cheap doll. Ezio drew her cold body to him, and searching desperately for a pulse, a breath, a tiny blush, anything to tell that she was alive, and just pretending.

But there was none.

The world froze, and refused to move from its spot again.

It was all over.


	30. Chapter 29

The world was crashing around Ezio, the sounds growing more and more quiet. He was alone, only Eden's dead body clutched in his arms, his grief washing into the empty void. A dream…it had to be a dream, some trick of his broken mind ripping him apart with this cruel joke.

He couldn't comprehend it, his thoughts swirling with horrified understanding.

Eden Cleare was dead.

No, it was simply impossible. But yet he held the proof in his arms. The blood his thumb brushed from her lips, the peacefully blank expression painted along her face…it would haunt him for the rest of his days...

"Eden, _amore mio, per fervore..._please, please, wake up…" he fervently whispered, pressing his lips to her forehead, her cheeks, her hair. Trying desperately to wake from the nightmare, to alter reality from what lay before him. "_Non può essere!_ Don't you dare do this to me, you hear? Wake up-"

She did not respond, her cheeks deathly pale and absent of their rosy coloring, her eyes closed, her lips slightly open, a long streak of red smeared down from the corner of her mouth. She looked so peaceful and innocent, that one might think she was only sleeping. If not for the blood and the long, ugly gashes on her stomach.

It'd been over a year since Eden was there for him every step of the way; his closest friend, his trusted partner, his unyielding ally. His beloved. The very idea of her being ripped away from him was utterly incomprehensible, the pain beginning to claw through him with vicious abandon, Ezio wanted to howl and whimper like a wounded animal. She couldn't be dead. She wasn't dead.

But she was.

The wretched, intense feelings of loss hit him with merciless reality, as it did when he watched his father and brothers hang.

He suddenly became aware that someone was shaking his shoulder, and the distant buzz of words finally reached his ears.

"-there's nothing you can do. It's like you said - she knew what she was doing."

Bartolomeo's voice was low and respectful, as well as filled with sympathy. He no longer shouted every other word, bristling at every supposed insult. Or perhaps it was just the dull roar in Ezio's ears. At least it seemed that in death, Eden managed to prove herself man enough for the mercenary.

"Damn it, Eden," he moaned, becoming more and more aware of tears burning his eyes as they fell down onto her skin. Crushing her limp form to him, he muttered it into her hair, rocking her back and forth.

She stayed immobile. His entire frame shaking, he finally lifted her up into his arms, though he nearly stumbled on the second try to properly stand up. Without looking at anyone, remaining silent, and not bothering to hide his tears, he walked past Bartolomeo and his men, stepping over Silvio's body without even sparing it a glance.

Now, he now knew exactly what she meant when she said she was going more and more mad with each loss that came to her. In one go, he'd lost half his family. It felt so long ago…almost a different lifetime.

Some months after their execution, under the cover of darkness, he made his way back to Florence with a company of his uncle's mercenaries. Bribing a guard allowed him to secret their coffins out of the prison's anonymous little graveyard for the condemned. The journey back to Monteriggioni with their precious cargo was a solemn and mostly silent affair. But he was finally able to give them a proper burial, in the Auditore crypt beneath villa. As the town priest recited the usual prayers and blessings, Claudia silently wept at his side, clutching his hand, nearly threatening to break it. And though he remained stoic, he struggled not to collapse into angry howls and terrified whines.

He thought he would never recover.

That was until Eden came along. Seemingly to almost drop from the sky, she appeared at the safe house Paola provided. A strangely dressed girl with short hair and more weapons than he had at the time, her eyes, stance, aura…everything about her was confident, cocky, and unarguably dangerous. She openly mocked him, he remembered. Played with her words as she did her daggers. But strangely, even with their sting, they proved an increasingly welcoming distraction. Made him forget for a little bit the loss he endured, the condition his mother was in, the fact that all of Firenze claimed him a traitor and criminal.

It was a mystery to him why she came with him in the first place. Why she taught him the basic skills of an assassin, helped him with his very first, and then second kill. He didn't understand why she insisted on escorting what was left of his family to safety. Already furious with rage at the time, he was irritated with her, and hell-bent on claiming the life due to him from the man that betrayed his father. Ready to set the entire world on fire with his thirst for vengeance, he railed at the fate that God had seen so fit to cast down upon him in just a matter of a few hours. His bloodlust blinded him to actually care why any of it was happening. But Eden stayed with him, regardless. All those days in Monteriggoni, she was at his side, teaching, distracting, helping.

It wasn't long before he saw her more as a friend, rather than an irritant to be alternately tolerated and avoided. And without warning, she quickly became more than that. Unique, skilled, smart, resourceful, she became a great friend. A beautiful woman, marred only by the two long criss-crossing scars on her left cheek and jaw. Even then, he'd come to accept them as irrevocable part of her.

She was no ordinary infatuation, all fluttering eyelashes, silken skirts, and coy smiles. She was not to be conquered, neither with pretty words, nor with charming smiles and false promises. With Eden Cleare, you got what you she gave you. And then some. For better, or for worse. But mostly, for the better.

Now, she was gone. Dead. There only remained blood and eternal peace.

Ezio wasn't sure where he was walking. The streets were silent, the citizens chased into their homes by the fighting, rain, and the nearly moonless night. The only sounds were that of his own hitching, labored breathing, the light splashing of the rain, and Bartolomeo's footsteps somewhere behind him. His men were likely securing the Arsenal now, clearing out the last of the Templars, relieving Silvio's mercenaries from their contracts with him, and cleaning up the mess the small war had made.

What did it all matter, though? He'd lost. It didn't feel like a victory if Ezio lost the person that helped him stay sane through his violent journey. If Eden couldn't survive this war, they may all as well just keel over and die. _Jesus Cristo, _it was all so utterly, utterly hopeless.

Somehow, they made it to the Palazzo della Seta, though Ezio barely even noticed. He registered only the few attempts that Bartolomeo made to talk to him. But the assassin was mute.

The palace greeted them with deathly silence. Though that was not due to the lack of people, for the thieves stood everywhere, scattered about the courtyard. Most of their faces were etched with expressions of disbelief as Ezio paused in the middle of the palace. Antonio shoved through the crowd towards them, face ashen and contorted with alarm. Rosa trailed behind him, eyes wide as she brought a hand to her mouth in soundless shock. Ezio didn't meet their eyes, just continued to walk. The thieves parted in front of him, allowing him to climb up the stairs. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Adel whirl around with a bounce of her curls, only to run away somewhere.

When he reached the room they used to share, he pushed open the door, carefully carrying Eden inside, as if afraid to bring any more harm to the body. Gently laying her down on the bed, he folded her hands upon her stomach. Fingers brushing her cold cheek, his shoulders shook.

"She…she isn't going to wake up," Antonio sadly said from the door. "Ezio, I'm sorry…but it's over-"

"_Taci_," he flatly cut him off, "Not one word._" _He wanted...no, it was _vital_ he be alone with Eden. This was the end…he just wanted these last few minutes.

"You have to-"

"Get. The fuck. OUT," Ezio coldly growled, turning to glare over his shoulder at the man. Eyes glittering golden and narrowed with dangerous intent, he said nothing as Antonio just bit his lip, walked out, and quietly shut the door behind him.

Immediately, Ezio fell to his knees beside the bed. His hands grasping one of her cold ones, he slumped forward, pressing his forehead against her stomach.

It would've have proper to recite a prayer of deliverance, but that would be as though admitting that she was truly gone. Besides, she didn't care for the gods. And right now, neither did he, his rising fury cutting through his grief, like a knife through flesh. But was the use of anger? The ones responsible were dead. She was dead. And with her, he felt as if his heart had died as well.

"Eden, _me despace, _forgive me. This isn't fair...after all you've been through." His voice was just above whisper, shaking so much, his words sputtered past his lips, echoing off the cold, marble walls. "After you lost everything, I hoped I could finally give you a life…you stubborn woman, what did you think getting yourself killed would do?"

Her laughter was in his ears, ringing in the deathly silence of the room. When he closed his eyes, he half-expected her hand to land on his shoulder, her voice ringing with a silly comment, her warm presence drawing him to her again.

He would never hear it again. Her kisses were lost to him now. He would never feel his head swim when her arms were around him. He could never argue and laugh with her. Or watch her adorable pout as the rare blush flew to her cheeks when he complimented her. Her knives wouldn't flicker in her hands as she tore through their enemies. He would never again wake up to her curled next to him like a soft, lazy kitten. All of the countless things he'd grown to love about her, he'd never experience again...

The howl that tore through his lungs and throat sounded as though a mutilated, bleeding animal was dying in agony. It ripped through the laughter in his head. The silence of the palace destroyed, he swore everyone in the city heard it. All of _Toscana_, even all of _Italia_. Let the world feel it, damn them all.

When he was out of breath and out of strength, his head fell down to her again, the tears falling unguarded now.

They'd traveled together for over a year, yet it felt like mere moments. She found her way to him even through time, from a world that he knew nothing of. But he'd lost her, far too soon. Was this punishment? Were the gods truly laughing at them? They took nearly everything away from both of them, put them through living hell, forced them to witness the demise of those they love. Only to separate them, once again.

_Again?_ somewhere at the back of his head, he felt confused. But it hardly mattered.

"…_Ow._"

It took him a few moments to figure out where the sound came from.

"W-what?"

"Your head is heavy, and I'm kind of tender."

He pulled away suddenly, his eyes wide and frightened as he realized that her eyes were open, and staring thoughtfully up into the ceiling. Dead people, he had seen plenty of before. But ones that came back to life...never.

She took a deep, long breath, her eyes half closed as Ezio quickly realized her face was slowly regaining its color. Moving her hand up weakly to her stomach, she felt along her throat, rubbing it. "Those bastards," she muttered, "Really, they could be more gentle, you'd think. Feels like I've been dropped from a ten story building, landed on the concrete, and then got run over by a truck…that then backed up and repeated." He was aware that his mouth was hanging open, gasping for an explanation as she looked at him, her eyes quite alive, and surprised. Then she suddenly smiled.

"Morning, sunshine. Weren't expecting this, were you?" She squinted at the tracks of tears that cut along his dusty cheeks, as well as his bloodshot eyes. And then she suddenly became serious. "You weren't going to pull a Romeo on me, were you? Oops, wrong century again..."

"_Che cosa il diavolo è questo? _I-I've fallen asleep…haven't I?"

"Asleep? I dunno. I can kick you and find out, though - Hey!" In a blur of motion, he lunged at her, embracing her tightly, and nearly breaking down again, but this time, in relief. "Um, just returned from the dead here," she grimaced, "Careful, please," she muttered. He didn't care though. The only thing that worried him slightly was the fact that she was as still as a rock.

"What's wrong?" he asked, finally pulling away and giving her some breathing room.

"Muscles don't work yet," she explained, "After effects of the-"

The full realization hit him suddenly as he finally managed to wrap his head around what had just happened. "Wait…you were dead. No pulse, no breathing…as in _DEAD!_ You were like a block of ice…"

Expression neutral, she stayed passive, as if he told her she was simply shivering in her sleep. "Yeeesss," she slowly began, "Um…about _that_…can you get me another blanket or something, please? And some bandages."

"But…you're not dead anymore!" he furrowed his brows together in utter confusion, even as he quickly wiped his eyes with the back of his hand.

"Either that, or we both are having very vivid hallucinations. You didn't actually think I'd stay dead? Ezio, I don't _do _dying. And even if I did, it would have been a very long time ago, and definitely not now."

"_Cazzo!" _he cursed, throwing up his hands."You were dead," he stammered, pointing at her in near accusation, "But then you woke up. But you were dead…yet you are here now?...Do you seriously not see where I'm going with this?"

"Blanket first," she fleetingly grinned, "Explanations later!"

Her strange, but usual nonchalance snapped him into action. When Ezio obliged, calling for maid, the woman stared at him as if he's gone insane, but brought him the things he asked for. Actually, when the servant walked through the doors, her eyes became as big as saucers, everything falling out her arms. The next moment, there was an earsplitting screech, and the woman, swinging wild crosses with her arms, fled from the room like the Devil himself was after her. Eden began to giggle, and Ezio couldn't help but join in her laughter, though his own was more hysterical than anything.

* * *

It took almost an hour for everyone to finally calm down, though most of them in the room were still looking at me with a bit of fright; Bartolomeo's jaw was somewhere in the nearest canal, Antonio was in complete, silent shock, Rosa was cursing up a storm, Adel was still bawling her eyes out, and Ezio would not leave my side.

It was strangely satisfying to see people fluttering about me like that, though, I must admit. Hell, even the maids were wiping away their tears, the sheer relief of everyone else so strong, I swore I could taste it. As for Ezio...he refused detach himself from me for one moment, even while the shallow, nearly a day old wound on my stomach was properly tended to and I was brought food, which I happily began to eat.

Now, everyone present was watching me as if I was a crate of extremely dangerous explosives that would go off if they so much as breathed on me. "People, c'mon now! Stop staring at me, I'm alive and well, thank you for your concern," I grumbled as I ate. My arms moved sluggishly, slowly regaining feeling in them.

"I think you should tell us how you are still alive," Antonio grumbled, nearly twitching all over with curiosity. It was admittedly amusing.

"You had no pulse…I thought you were _dead_," Ezio nodded, eyes still slightly wide with surprise. Lounging in the plush chair next to my bed, he kept staring at me intently, as though I would disappear the moment he blinked.

"Well, yeah, I was. Sort of. They wouldn't have thrown me out if they didn't think I was dead," I stiffly shrugged. "Besides, it's not my fault you didn't bother checking the cause of death. You do realize I'm not nearly in bad enough shape to actually die, right?"

"Coming back to the original question," he snorted, "How the hell-"

"If you all just shut up and let me talk, I'll tell you."

"Do be kind and do so."

_---The day before---_

When I departed from Ezio and Adel, I had a good run through the Arsenal, raising at least fifty alerts on my way, and drawing the attention of every man in the entire fortress. And only then did I realize that it was a very, very stupid idea.

I bunny-trailed through the narrow passage ways, dodging arrows, and listening to the threats behind me. But in a closed space I didn't know well, it didn't take long for them to corner me. I turned sharply near the water, and I was almost unsurprised to find a dead end. Climbing was out of the question - the brick walls gave no easy access, and the guards were catching up, fast. Being hit with rocks and daggers while hanging onto a wall is never pleasant.

I spun around. They couldn't crowd me too much here anyway, not with my back against the wall. Hypothetically speaking, I'd be able to cut down every single one of them. But practically?There were a lot more than I expected, over a dozen of them and then some. And their leader was none other than Dante Moro.

I miscalculated slightly. I had no way out now.

I kept my eyes strictly on Dante, as he was the most dangerous man on the field once Ezio left. I'd seen him fight with his bare fists back at the Carnival, and I was almost amazed at the sight. The huge battle axe in his hands and the lifeless look that yielded no mercy did not boost my confidence either. I barely even registered his men, even if they formed a small battalion right there in the alley.

To my great surprise, no one tried to look for Ezio, most of them set on me. Most likely, because they knew that they'd wind up either chasing their own tails, or have the said tails shoved down their throats. I was still considered a less dangerous target. And certainty the easiest one to capture.

"Are we going to stand here all day or do we dance?" I asked mockingly, discretely eying the buildings around me. If I could get onto the roofs...but sadly, Silvio's mercenaries were not giving me such and opportunity, surrounding me completely. For once in my life, there was completely no way out.

In the matter of moments, I considered all the equipment still left on me. And suddenly, it clicked. The dramatic and probably extremely silly exit I planned fell into place within seconds. It was my only chance of getting out of here alive. All I had to do was reach to the third pouch on my belt, flicker open a switch blade without any if them noticing or worse, attacking, and then make it to the water...

"Yield," Dante called coldly.

I suddenly smiled. Actually, more like bared my teeth in an animalistic snarl, as with my free hand, I reached the knife and the tiny little vial I'd stashed previously. After we found out that the Templars wanted to capture me, I kept it close, just in case I'd get such a perfect opportunity such as this.

"Like hell," at the same time I hissed the retort, beginning to move, the only way that made any sense right now. Surprisingly, it was not into the ground, or up, but straight at Dante. I even overdid it slightly, and let out a small battle cry, trying not to sound too frightened. The men around me seemed to be simply shocked by the psychotically suicidal move, but the Bear was not impressed in the slightest. His face portrayed not even a hint of surprise, only simply prepared to cleave the idiot girl in half.

I had different plans, however.

At the last moment, I sidestepped the Silvio's guard dog as he raised his axe, not denying myself the pleasure of leaving a long gash on his cheek - I did not have the time for anything else. Shoving the remaining man that stood between me and the water and kicking his knee with all my might, I heard a satisfying snap and scream of agony. As I continued to move towards the water, I felt a quick slash of pain tear down my shoulder blade, but it was so meager in comparison to what they'd do to me if I lingered any longer, that I just sped up. When I reached the water, I slipped the vial into my mouth.

The idea of a rubber bottle came to me nearly as soon as I bought the poison. Though much of the credit, surprisingly, goes to the fake blood they sell for Halloween, the ones you put into your mouth and snapped with your teeth. After that, you could technically swallow the vial if you wanted, like taking a large pill. The idea seemed perfect; slip it into your mouth, chew through, swallow, and then, _shazaam!_ fake death. And most importantly, no evidence left behind. I thanked all the gods that gave me the inspiration at that moment, because swallowing glass would have been a lot worse for my health. Not to mention, I risked choking on it, for real.

Stopping sharply right at the edge of the harbor, I turned back to my pursuers, smiling the same maniacal and creepy smile. Thankfully, it made them pause in confusion. Prey isn't supposed to start laughing in the face of the predator. It didn't matter, as it bought me a little more time. I was about to give them a good show as to how far an assassin would go to avoid capture.

"Your master is not getting me," I hissed at them. Without further ado, I made a quick gesture of plunging the dagger into my stomach. It must have looked awesome as hell, as they all froze, staring at me with huge eyes. It was so comical that I had to bite slightly harder than needed to contain my laughter. In reality, I grazed my stomach only slightly, though the illusion was enough to draw blood, and retracted the blade before I could do any real harm. At the same time, I snapped the vial with my teeth, swallowing the unpleasant, coppery liquid.

The effects were that of a…say, the drug they inject into your gums and jaw at the dentists. It was immediate, and it was cold, as if an icy snake slithered through my blood stream. My muscles grew still, my limbs slowly becoming more puppet-like. I smiled one last time at the mercenaries, displaying the red liquid that appeared as a lot of blood as it slid down my chin. And, as dramatic as these shows go, I spread my arms and dropped back into the water, allowing the knife to sink the bottom.

My last coherent thought before I completely passed out was just how amusing it was that Templars were outsmarted by a "mere" woman. And that the winning move was not that of strength or weapon mastery, but rather, my charlatan parlor tricks, good timing, and pure luck.

_---Present---_

"Poison?" Antonio repeated, leaning in slightly.

"Yes," I nodded along, "It's a special type of arsenic, similar to the one old Grimaldi used to murder Mocenigo. From what I understand, Silvio's men fished me out, barely checked if I was really dead or not, and then promptly threw me with the other bodies."

"Ingenious!" The Master Thief was visibly impressed. "Now they think you're dead, which means they will never expect you to attack again."

"One thing that is strange, though," I started, and Ezio finished for me, reading my mind.

"Why did they want you, specifically, and alive, as well?"

"We'll try to find something out," Antonio declared, patting my shoulder in reassurance, "There's got to be reasoning to Borgia's thinking-

"As twisted as _that _is," Rosa finished for him with a snort.

"Enough of that now!" Bartolomeo bellowed, gesturing for everyone to be quiet as he held up a large hand. Watching me with a lot more respect than before, I'm not sure what the man thought, but I guess I'd finally proved myself to him. "Silvio is dead, and the Arsenal is ours! Maybe now Venezia will actually have a bit of _pace and tranquila_! We should celebrate! What do you say, Auditore?"

"I'm sorry, but I cannot join you," Ezio shook his head, his eyes solely trained on me, "It seems our work has taken a rather unexpected turn."

"What do you mean?" I shifted my eyebrows together.

"They were meant to sail...this was all a distraction."

"Sail? To what end?" Bartolomeo asked, just as confused as me.

"That, I need to find out."

"In the mean time, can everyone please get out?" I asked, feeling slightly uncomfortable with so many people in the crowded room. Thumping me on the back with a friendly hand, and giving a sly wink of understanding, Rosa took off. Adel, who still sat at the foot of my bed, listened to everything with a slightly open mouth, as if it would help her take it in and understand more. Antonio and Bartolomeo finally cleared out, set on celebrating. Thankfully, Antonio pulled Adel away from the room, though she did not go willingly.

I was left alone with Ezio, as I'd wanted to be the entire time I retold my tale.

"Please don't be mad," I pleaded quietly when the silence began to stretch. I wasn't sure what the look in his eyes was, but I assumed the worst. "I did the only thing I could-"

"Do you realize," he interrupted, quietly standing up and turning towards the window, away from me. I felt something cold snake through my mind, not unlike the toxin. "That I thought you were dead and _gone?_"

"That was sort of the point-"

"And do you have _any_ idea how…out of sorts I was?"

"Ezio-"

"Next time you are simply faking," he snapped, though his voice was so low, I almost imagined I couldn't hear him, "Do make sure you tell me beforehand."

I closed my eyes, a feeling of dread settling in my stomach. He _was_ scared. Terrified, actually. Apparently, my instincts couldn't be suppressed. For I'd felt his grief while in the coma, even with most of my brain completely shut down. Nearly every moment of his agony echoed around me, somewhere up there in limbo.

Suddenly, I shot up from the bed, almost surprised that my body allowed me to. Ezio turned to me, hearing the movement, and I think he raised his eyebrows in surprise.

_Limbo-_

"Alex," I muttered, my eyes widening.

"Eden, did you lose your memory, as well? I'm Ezio….Ezio Auditore." His voice sounded slightly hurt as I shook my head.

"No - I've seen Alex. I think."

"Excuse me? Eden, start making sense! You were not dead, how could you have seen him?" he asked incredulously.

"I was as good as dead...he told me - something." I blinked, trying to grasp at the vision, but it was slipping away, as if it was a dream within a dream. I instinctively reached for the dog tags. But when I grasped at nothing but my shirt, I remembered that I threw them out into the water not even a month previous. He said something important…but-

I slammed back into the pillow and let out a small groan. I desperately wanted Ezio to lie down beside me, so I could curl up into his warm side, and not think about my fake death that felt real enough. I needed answers about the translucent memories of my dead boyfriend. Not to mention, reassurance that I'd dodged the torture that Templars promised me if I was only a moment slower in my dramatic exit. And suddenly, I felt so tired, that I didn't even want to beg Ezio for forgiveness, or yell back at him.

"Ezio, can you yell at me in the morning?" I just asked quietly, "Please?"

A long moment later, I finally heard his heavy sigh, the rustle of clothing, and the low clanking of metal hitting the floor. A few minutes later, he lay down beside me, in just his trousers and tunic, and I hurried to press into him, seeking some warmth. Dead or not, I was still freezing. We didn't exchange another word, and I knew that in the morning, he'd likely kill me for real. But all that would be in the morning.

* * *

I joined the small squad of mercenaries and thieves that searched through the Arsenal, clearing the remaining traces of Templars. As far as I gathered, the place was mostly built and paid for by them, and had been one of their bases for nearly a hundred years. It was still swarming with men still loyal to their "Cause". Sadly, most of the evidence of what they were actually up to was destroyed before the Black Galley headed for Cyprus left.

"This is useless," I grumbled to Rosa, pushing aside some sort of manuals and a few scattered codices on the bookshelf of the what I suppose would pass for a main office.

"I'm starting to think you're right," she shrugged, sounding distracted. She continued searching for any hidden safes or niches in the walls and floor. "Everything they had, they most likely kept completely off the record."

"I have to hand it to them, though, they're smart people. Fishing boats...gondolas...ferries...trading ships...nothing of galleys or expeditions."

"Look in the trades, perhaps there's something about Cyprus. Or at the very least, Rome."

I swept the entire row of dated records off the shelf, dumping them onto the desk. I hated records. Rows of dates, ships and cargo…it was boring to the point where you began to flip the pages without actually reading any of it.

"Geez. No beginning, no introduction, no rising action, and no climax. This is a truly horrible book," I moaned once again, pushing away the second record I was going through. I got the urge to slam my head against the desk. Rosa leaned over the table, shifting through the small books quickly, before pulling out one. Then she flipped through it, and smiled.

"You were doing it wrong. Though I'll give you credit, you read fast."

"Hot damn. There's five minutes of my life I'll never get back...fine, what does it say?"

"Surprise, surprise, the ship is called the Black Galley. It's going to Cyprus, just like Ezio said. Hmm...strange...it's labeled as a trade ship filled with clutter that no one would ever even attempt to steal..."

"If they are trying to find something, they likely don't want to give anyone any motivation to try and rob them," I muttered, absently drawing in the dust.

"Yes...it says here the date for departure, two days ago, and the arrival is," she flipped through a few pages before she stopped, face falling, "In a year and half. Well, that's a bunch of bullsh-"

"Wait," I asked, my mood perking up, "So you're telling me we have at least sixteen months of peace and quiet?"

Eyes going wide, she suddenly smiled, "Yes. That seems to be exactly that. And now that I really think about, I have to say I'm looking forward to it."

"You're not the only one." I poked my side lightly, where under my shirt and cloak there was a bandage winding around my waist. "Don't know what we're going to do for that long, though..."

She sat down into the chair across the desk, tucking the small record book into her pocket. "Things will pick up. You know, there's still a hell of a clean up going on - it's almost chaotic."

"Lovely." I rolled my shoulder. "More nobles?"

"I believe so."

"Fan-tastic."

She snorted, carelessly tossing her legs up onto the table and crossing them at the ankle. "By the way, did you should hear the rumors going around about you."

"I did," I couldn't help but smile, "I gotta say, they're pretty imaginative. My favorite one was 'Even the Devil did not wish her in his realm, and sent her straight back to Earth.' Or, 'She is a walking corpse! Run, as the end of the world is nigh!' I won't be surprised if they consider me the second reincarnation of Jesus…or maybe a witch. Now wouldn't that be nice?"

"You are a very strange person," she laughed. I made a small bow.

"I do what I can. Now, let's get out of here - I'll get asthma soon with all this dust. You got the book?"

"Yes. I think it's best if I hold onto it for now, let Ezio gather his thoughts?" she raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged. I wasn't sure if that was the best idea, but I decided to leave it up to her.

Suddenly, a mercenary walked through the doorway. And after him, a small figure bounced excitedly. "_Signorine_, the girl says she knows something we don't."

"Adel? What are you talking about?" I asked, surprised.

"I know where their dungeons are!" she blurted out quickly, eager to share.

"_Che?" _Rosa nearly fell off her chair.

"When they caught me, the man took me into some dungeon! Silvio was there, and the dogs, and-"

"Wait a moment. You mean they have a secret location?" I made sure, shifting my eyebrows together. The girl nodded. "Maybe that's why we can't find anything in this place! Can you take us there?" she bobbed her head again.

"Should I get a few more men?" the mercenary asked, and Rosa and me exchanged glances, and then shook our heads.

"We can handle it."

* * *

"'_We can handle it!' _she says!" Rosa grumbled, and the nearest torch flickered at the disturbance. "This place is a labyrinth!"

"Don't be so pessimistic!" I rolled my eyes.

"I'm not being pessimistic. Just admit it, we're lost."

"We are _not_ lost," I denied truthfully. "The way back is through there, turn to the left, and then to the left again. If you're so scared, you can go now."

She just snorted, not taking the bait. Really, the most trouble we encountered in the halls that Adel showed us were a few leftover men and claustrophobia. I also found a very decent deck of cards in one of the rooms, and Rosa dug up some cash. So basically, she was complaining just for the hell of it.

However, it was only after a few corridors and rooms did we really find anything of real interest. The smell of wet dog hit my strained senses hard, making me cringe.

"Now what?"

"Dogs," I replied shortly, getting one of my long daggers ready as I pushed open the door. To my slight surprise, it was void of any sort of life, except from cages built into the walls with heavy metal bars. Some hay was littered on the floor, and in the middle of the room was a half eaten cow.

"Ew," I commented shortly. It only took a quick glance to realize that there was nothing of value in the room, so we moved on.

Silvio's office was nearly empty - a lot of his stuff was found on the boat he was supposed to leave in. So all there was in the room were half-bare shelves, a clean desk, and traces of blood on the carpet. After thoroughly searching the office, we came up with another blank, something that was beginning to irritate me. The base was carefully cleaned of evidence prior to the Black Galley's leave, everything of any importance either destroyed or taken. All that we were left with were a damp, stuffy dungeon, and a few records that only told us when the ship was coming back.

But, as Rosa said at one point or another (after stringing together a long chain of swears and curses), it could have been a mixed blessing that we didn't find anything. While our curiosity wouldn't be sated just yet, at the very least, we would have some peace. Maybe then we could at least mind our own businesses for the next year or so. The entire strange plot and twists were beginning to give me a head ache. So the craving for regular contracts where the people didn't fit into any sort of gigantic conspiracy was growing.

After a few moments of effort, I flipped over the desk. Rosa stared at me with surprise, not making any move to help, much to my disappointment - the table was very heavy. Finally, though, it creaked, and fell to the side. Nothing tumbled inside of it, and to tell the truth, I wasn't expecting it. "Well, they just have to make everything harder, don't they?"

"What on Earth are you doing?"

"Searching for secrets, safes or compartments...you never know with them." I shrugged. Bending down to tear away the rug in the floor, I suddenly let out a small noise of triumph, and tugged on the trap door that was hidden under it. To my surprise, it opened easily, but that did not help us too much - whatever was in there before was now flooded and buried. I cursed, and stood up again. "Let's just get out of here, there's nothing of use anymore. Templars know how to cover their tr-"

"Hello la-" The rest of the greeting was cut off, as my throwing knife was buried in the door, an inch away from Ezio's face. He blinked at it, and slowly turned his head towards us. "What did I do this time that you want to kill me so badly?"

"Sorry!" I apologized hurriedly, striding across the room and yanking the knife out of the door, "I'm a bit jumpy."

"When are you not?" he grumbled. I could tell that my reflexive responses to his arrival were starting to frustrate him. "What are you two doing here?"

"Searching for anything the Templars left behind."

"Did you find anything?"

"Well-" I glanced at Rosa, but she shook her head swiftly. "Nope. Nothing. Everything is cleared out, the men ran as soon as they realized Silvio was dead. There's nothing here anymore."

"Eden, you shouldn't be here at all," he reminded me, "If anyone sees and recognizes you-"

"I'm not going to be hiding from someone who isn't even here. And frankly, it won't matter. They weren't that enthusiastic about my capture before, either."

"Why are you so stubborn?"

"Because you wouldn't love me any other way?" I suggested hopefully, to which I heard Rosa gagging. Ezio just silently shook his head, waving his arm in a gesture to say that we were getting out of there.

I guess the waters between us were still pretty frigid.

* * *

"Pleeeeaase?" I whined, rocking back and forth while basically sitting on Ezio's back. I found him in proud solitude in the one spot in the city that we could consider "ours"- the roof of the Rialto Bridge. And immediately disregarded the suspicion that he actually wanted to be alone, trying to get him to forgive me by force. "I didn't come back from the dead for you to ignore me! Fine, you stubborn, ass - I mean, assassin! What do you want me to do to make up for it?"

"Stop bouncing on me, for one thing!" he snapped. I froze, but didn't get off of his back. "Good. Now-" I made a small squeak of surprise as he swiftly twisted around so that I fell onto his lap, landing so that I looked up at his face. To my shock, he looked like he was barely concealing laughter. "You could promise me a few things..."

"Alright, stop right there!" I suddenly interrupted, a tiny trickle of unease running through my mind. "Let's get this straight. I am not giving up my lifestyle. I actually rather like my job. It sure beats accounting!"

"I wouldn't expect anything different. No, I just meant that the next time you're running off to do some suicidal plan, at the very least, have the decency to tell me."

"In my defense, you knew I was off to do something incredibly stupid-"

"Because with you, that's all that you ever run off to do."

"Hey!" I frowned. But he only arched a brow of silent retort, his usually bright and cheery hazel gaze dark and serious. After a pause, I shrugged, even as I took a deep breath. "Yeah. Fine. I promise you that the next time I feel like faking my death, I will tell you beforehand. Now will you stop sulking about and enjoy life?"

"I'm not sulking," he sniffed.

"Sure. Sitting here all alone, staring into the distance, letting out heavy sighs, and being all emo and ultra-dramatic is not sulking? My mistake," I rolled my eyes, settling into his lap more comfortably. "You know what? We are both due for a vacation. Or you'll crack right down the middle." I thought about the year and a half in front of us with longing. But somehow, I doubted my life would actually be quiet while we waited for the Black Galley to return with god knows what they were looking for.

"Yes, I think you're right. I haven't seen my family for a while..." his smile fell slightly. I reached up to gently run my fingers over his cheek in what I hoped was a comforting gesture. He leaned into my touch, and planted a kiss on my palm. I couldn't help but smile cheerfully.

And with that, I think I was forgiven.

* * *

**Translations**

_Amore mio, per fervore _- My love, please

_Non può essere!_ - It cannot be!

_Jesus Cristo_ – Jesus Christ

_Taci_ – (you) Shut-up

_Me despace_ – I'm sorry

_Che cosa il diavolo è questo? _- What the devil is this?

* * *

I have sad news people. There will be no update next week. Or the week after that. Maybe the one after it. The reason for that being the fact that I'm swamped at the moment- I have exams that are continuing to stress me as I just realized I didn't know anything of what we were supposed to know. Also, I have two paintings that I've been procrastinating on, a requested sketch, a few personal projects, I need to find a job, and take care of the house for the next few weeks, and a friend who is beginning to feel neglected.. So, yeah. I'm taking a break from writing, at least, until I finish up all those things. I am NOT abandoning the story, this is only temporary, and I promise I'll be back in three to four weeks.

And, as I expected, a lot of people guessed about the poison- I had half a mind of making a prank chapter that said something like "it was two years since Eden died..." just to see everyone's reaction. But I'm not that cruel. For all you know. :D


	31. Chapter 30

**A/N- **Something that I've noticed in the game- Machiavelli was born in 1469, which would make him about 17 when he meets Ezio, and that doesn't seem right at all. So just play along here.

* * *

Rodrigo Borgia liked to consider himself as a patient man. Working with the likes of the Pope and the Templars, who saw not the individual, but the grand scheme in one's place in history demanded it. By now, anyone else would have broken down or given up.

Completely killing and dismembering the messenger for the bad news would do nothing to fix it. So, he simply just took a breath, focused, and only _nearly_ beat the man within an inch of his pathetic life. But bringing a little (or a lot) of bodily harm on the messenger with the twitch of his hand alleviated his displeasure a small bit. When his men finally dragged away the pathetic, whining bundle of blood out of his sight, he stormed back into his quarters, teeth clenched as he slammed the doors after himself.

"Those god-damned idiots!" he finally let out an angry roar to his trembling secretary. "I've underestimated them – that Assasin's whore of a woman had the bloody will to kill herself just so she wouldn't end up in our hands..._cazzo_!"

"P-perhaps it shows how much she…feared…us, _Messere?_"

The secretary had barely a few seconds to dodge the heavy, jewel encrusted golden goblet that went flying at his head from Rodrigo's hand. Thankfully, the man was used to such outbursts. Or his head would've ended up a bloody mess against the wall. Rodrigo's rage didn't last for long, however. Closing his eyes and rubbing his temples, he took a few, long deep breathes. Calming down quickly enough, Rodrigo sat down in one of his armchairs heavily.

Eden Cleare was almost in his grasp. The seemingly weaker of the two, he could have easily used her to manipulate the irritating assassin. After all, the boy still let his emotions take over his judgment. The longer they waited, the less chance they'd have to get rid of him. Man after man, Templar after Templar...the two rid Venice of nearly all of the Order. Scraps and pieces remained, but it was hardly enough to mount a full assault against them.

But it wouldn't matter. Once the Apple was in his hands, he could turn all of it around. The only proverbial light at the end of the tunnel was in that prospect. As well as taking it from under the Assassins' noses...

* * *

-16 months later-

Milan was a beautiful and busy city, considered one of the fashion centrals of Italia. The city itself was a circular shape, broken down into just over twenty districts, arranged distinctly like a wheel. The center was laid with many magnificent palazzos, high towers and newly constructed buildings that were the height of Renaissance architecture. What was planned to be one of the grandest cathedrals in Europe was in the process of construction, and already many artists and sculptors gathered, beginning to bring the inside to life. Ludovico Sforza was very determined to complete a large part of it, though I knew from the future that it would take many years to actually finish it.

Just a few years ago, the previous Duke had been assassinated. Ludvico's brother, Galeazzo Sforza was remembered by most people of the city as a fairly good leader of Milan. He was also Caterina Sforza's father, though her mother was one of his long-term mistresses, and ironically, the wife of one his good friends in court. But sadly, Galeazzo also possessed a well-documented sadistic and cruel side. Torture, rape, painful and humiliating executions were all part of his reputation, which gathered him quite a few enemies.

So no one was terribly surprised when Galeazzo was assassinated on Christmas Day in 1476 in a wide-reaching conspiracy. Orchestrated by Lampugnani, he was supported by a few of other men that held grudges against the Duke for land disputes, revenge, or idealism. The conspiracy was executed successfully, and all of the assassins, save for their leader, escaped. There were also rumors of a white-hooded man that was present who assisted the guard. However, he mysteriously disappeared from the scene of the crime before anyone could identify him and his intentions. When Leonardo heard the rumor, he immediately thought of Ezio. But then he remembered that when they first met, the boy was definitely not the same as he was after his family was killed, and was in no way an assassin.

After Galeazzo, his son, Gian, became the Duke, under the guidance of his uncle, Ludovico Sforza. As the boy was very young when his father was murdered, Ludovico became the unofficial ruler, seizing all power. Thankfully, he was a realistic man, and focused not on the appearance of power, but the productivity, industry, and order of Milano. And last but not least, he was Leonardo da'Vinci's patron.

"Create a monument, he says..." the said artist grumbled under his breath as he attempted time and time again to get the right pose at least on paper before he moved onto clay. He decided three times over in the past five minutes that he'd have to find an actual horse and sketch it out before he'd be able to do anything productive. But... "We want a painting, Leonardo! Oh, paint my mistress for me, for I wish her beauty immortalized before I move on to another girl!" he continued to mimic the different patrons that landed him commissions. "Of course they all want a painting of their mistresses... or wives...Ugh."

And with that strange noise, he nearly slammed his forehead onto the table, weakly trying to resist the temptation of repeating the gesture until he was passed out.

Finally, he pushed away the barely started sketches, and leaned back in his chair, stretching. Glanced outside the window. Rubbed his chin, and thought it was time for a shave. And then nearly slumped back onto the table again.

Eden was right - he was going to crack right down the middle if he continued doing this. "This" being the fact that he barely ever left his workshop, only getting properly dressed when meeting patrons, and getting food through his assistant, who barely ever even came into the workshop. And while Leonardo didn't regret his decision to move to Milan temporarily, he was slowly becoming overwhelmed. And very lonely. In Venice, either Ezio or Eden, sometimes Antonio, and rarely, even Rosa, dropped in every now and again to check up of him, deliver news of the outside world, or simply hover over his shoulder and watch him work. In any way, it was familiar contact with friends that he missed in the months he spent in Milan.

The only word from them was a letter that once arrived to his doorstep that said that everything was fine, Adel was safe, Eden faked her own death, the Templars were finally out of Venezia, and everything was just happiness and sunshine on their end. He tried to write back, while the messenger was still around, but suddenly couldn't think of anything to tell them of, as nothing except for the never ending commissions and court drama was happening. Finally, he settled for saying that he was okay, glad to hear that everything was good, and that so far no one had died for real. And after that, there were no more news.

The persistent tapping of the rain was getting annoying. It was fall, and autumn in Milan was fairly humid, as it was even farther north than Venice. Leonardo was used to the occasional leaks in the attic. The rain didn't do anything to improve his mood, however, and he decided that he was not going to get any work done. Which was just as well - he only just now realized how dark it was outside.

He stood up from his chair, ready to blow out the candle and head upstairs to bed, when there was a knock. A very unusual occurrence in his workshop, as many of his patrons didn't knock. They banged on the door loudly enough to make all the furniture in the main room jump, and the ones that were capable of knocking quietly preferred him to come to them, instead. Unsure who would actually come calling this late at night, he gingerly waited, thinking he was just tired and he was just hearing things. Or, more like hoped that that was the case. But the knock repeated, this time a little more urgent, and he finally crossed the room to open the door.

Immediately, he jumped slightly back as an arc of lightning chose that exact moment to strike, the slightly menacing black figure in the doorway looking like something out of a nightmare. The startled artist had half a mind of slamming the door shut again when the figure suddenly raised its arms, dripping slightly, and a familiar voice greeted him.

"Well, hello."

"Eden!" he realized with a shock, but quickly remembered that it was pouring rain outside, and pulled her through the door, giving her a friendly hug. After her, another figure walked in, though it was a lot shorter.

"Hey Leo!" Adel greeted him cheerfully, smiling broadly. She was bundled into a black leather jacket that Leonardo recognized as Eden's from all that time ago. The girl herself looked a whole lot older after the year he hasn't seen her for- she was definitely taller, and her face slightly more matured. Her golden hair had grown out, and was pulled back into a simple braid.

"Sorry to visit you so late," Eden smiled, throwing back the hood of her cloak, which was now white instead of the usual black. She didn't change too much except for the fact that her hair was pulled into a tight braid that she likely wore for traveling. "But I saw the light in your window and thought you'd still be up."

"It's so good to see you both! What brings you to Milan?" Leonardo asked, smiling radiantly as he gestured for them to take a seat at the table.

"Hmm. Business," she rolled her eyes, taking off her slightly damp cloak and sitting down. "You know, received a letter from Mario, who got something stuck on his behind, and suddenly it's all 'Come here, now! Important business, bing, bada boom!' and all that."

_Definitely didn't change at all_, Leonardo thought with a grin.

"Then Ezio is here, too?"

Something flickered in her eyes. "Ah, no. Ezio is still in Venice, waiting for the Black Galley. He thought it would be best if he was present when it arrived."

"And Adel?" He glanced at the girl.

"I thought she'd want to explore Italy a bit more. Besides, she just missed you so much, I'd feel very bad for leaving her behind..." she smirked cockily. Adel reddened slightly, crossing her arms in a childish pout.

"Eden!"

"You should have heard her! 'When is Leo coming back? Did he write back yet? Can we go see him?'" the woman continued to embarrass her student further, and Leonardo concealed an amused laugh by coughing. Adel turned away from them in a sulky manner. Eden finally sobered, and spoke normally. "Anyway, here we are. I'm supposed to meet a Mario around here in a few days, and-"

"Say no more, you can stay here!" Leonardo cut in reassuringly, and she smiled again, seemingly relieved.

"Awesome. I promise we won't get in the way of your work."

"That won't be a problem, as it seems I have a hard time concentrating anyway."

"You've been holing yourself up again, haven't you?" she grumbled maternally. He hung his head guiltily. "Really, I can understand being in love with your work, but can't you sketch outside somewhere? I'm sure you can look at birds on the roofs just as well as you can in this dusty place." She swept the room with her eyes, though she was visibly impressed. His workshop was a bit bigger than it was in either Florence or Venice.

Suddenly, he yawned widely, and she stood up again. "Anyway, I can see you're already barely on your feet. We can catch up in the morning. I'll be back in a moment."

"Where are you going? It's pouring rain!" Leonardo protested quickly as she made a move towards the front door.

"Just to take a quick look around. Lock the door and open the window to the spare bedroom," She shrugged, and pulled her hood back on. He was about to say something, but then just sighed, and let her go, locking the door behind her as instructed.

"Come on, I'll show you to the room," he called for Adel, and she hopped off her chair, following him upstairs. He absently wondered about Eden's appearance in Milan. After all, it was strange for her to leave Ezio's side, especially since the two were courting as a couple (finally). But then again, he was just happy to have some company, and didn't think too much on it.

He left the window open as she said, and went to bed, though when he fell asleep a half and hour later, she was still not back. Or maybe he just didn't hear her...

* * *

Whereas I would have stayed in bed until late morning if I had Ezio at my side, I stretched until I felt my bones crack, up and fully awake sharply at dawn. I left the room quietly enough not to wake either Adel or Leonardo, and headed down into the kitchen. Feeling slightly anxious, I busied myself with making breakfast; bacon and eggs, which remained the only meal I could make without burning down the entire house.

The sun was rising slowly, and I focused on the flickering of the fire to keep my mind from wandering.

The past sixteen months were very quiet. Almost too quiet for my taste, as I was used to always be on the move, doing something. Is was slightly torn, of course - the peace and quiet was so rare that I knew I'd miss it the moment it was gone. But I didn't like the prospect of getting used to something that vaguely resembled a _normal _life. I think Ezio was trying hard to get me into it, though I didn't like his methods too much...

"_Buongiorno_," Leonardo greeted me from the door, as he stood there for a few moments, sniffing. I smiled at him, transferring the contents of the pan onto a slightly cracked plate. "You really shouldn't have-"

"Leo, I don't totally get all this Italian etiquette, but I like to think we moved past it," I interrupted. I still found it strange how even Antonio wouldn't let me help out in the kitchens of his palace at the Seta. Something about being a guest. I didn't think he'd ever tasted my cooking before, so that couldn't be the reason.

"Hm. Alright, if you say so," he easily agreed, sitting down at the table as I cut the eggs apart and put some in front of him. Taking a seat opposite of him, I began to eat myself.

"Besides, when was the last time someone made you a proper breakfast?" I asked.

"A while."

Adel came down at that moment, already dressed and brushed. Over the months I've mostly enforced the rule that she had to take care of herself, as a starting point. We allowed her to make and learn from her own mistakes. For example, if she felt tired when waking up, she would adjust her sleeping patterns by herself, and divide her days however she'd like, as long as it fit the two hour long sessions with us. She agreed easily, considering that was the only way I'd even think about any further training. Independence was something that came fairly naturally to her, despite being raised by nobles.

Overall, I suppose you can say I finally agreed to teaching her. We didn't talk about the assassin part yet, but I think she expected it. I put no pressure on the fact, hoping she'd back out sooner or later. So I taught her harmless things that in my opinion should be common knowledge. She surprised me with her diligence, soaking up everything either of us taught her like a sponge. Of course, there were a few ups and downs, but the fact remained that she was a talented girl.

"Eden, what are we doing today?" she asked me eagerly, perching on her chair.

I thought about it for a moment, then smiled. I'd grown used to the role of teacher, sometimes even looking forward to our sessions. "I think you're ready to start something new today."

"What kind of things do you do?" Leonardo asked with curiosity.

"Lots of things - running, climbing, dance, language, " I listed thoughtfully, waving my fork in the air along with my words. "We stray sometimes, do exercises, do something different."

"Like when you made me stand still for two hours straight?" Adel humphed, still not impressed by those two hours.

"You need to learn patience somehow," I shrugged. "Don't worry, today will be a bit more interesting. We have a few days to ourselves, then I have to meet up with Mario."

"What am I going to do then?"

"Stay with Leonardo and not cause any trouble?" I raised an eyebrow and then addressed the artist. "You don't mind babysitting again, do you?"

He seemed slightly hesitant, but shook his head. "Not at all."

"Good. Oh! Ezio asked me to pass along a codex page," I suddenly remembered, "It's in my bag upstairs, he found it in one of the Templar-run banks, as well as the one Silvio had on him."

At the name, Adel visibly shuddered, but tried her best to hide in. Her run in with the man left its own marks on her. Meanwhile Leonardo's eyes lit up, "How exciting! Actually, I've been meaning to ask; is there anyway I can study all of the ones that you've gathered so far? I have a theory..."

"Um. Well, most of them are in Monteriggioni, in the Auditore villa. If you're ever around, I'm sure Mario would like to meet the man who translated them for him. Though Claudia is mostly running the place now, considering everyone is always traveling."

"Claudia? Ezio's sister? How is she? And I hope Maria is doing better, as well?"

"Ah." I cast my eyes downwards. The woman, it seemed, had not moved from her rooms since we first arrived at Monteriggioni upon fleeing Florence after the execution of her husband and sons. Her skin was pale and showing much more age than it did years ago. She reminded me of an eerily life-like wax sculpture. Every time we returned to Monteriggioni to check on the status of its renovation, she definitely threw Ezio back into a short spell of depression. "She's still in shock, if you can even call it that," I said aloud to Leonardo, "No reaction to her children…or anyone else, whatsoever."

"I am sorry to hear that," his voice became more serious, as well. "But I've never heard of shock having such traumatic effects for so long."

"I haven't either," I shook my head. "Usually, they either move on, or...well, die. Maybe if I had my resources or connections, I could figure something out to help her. But," I sighed, "Ezio keeps bringing her those white feathers…he had an entire collection of them by the time we visited. I'm not sure what he's trying to do anymore. She doesn't even look at him when he comes to visit her. Mario told him off for it, though. I don't know what he's expecting, but those feathers aren't doing anything."

"What does Ezio say?"

"To have faith," I said somewhat bitterly. "He's strange like that." Leonardo must have noticed that I meant that in more ways than one, and sent me a questioning glance. I just smiled passing over the subject at the same time as I glanced at Adel. He understood the hint, and let it go.

That day, I called Adel out to the back of the workshop, and gave her a somewhat simple task- she needed to get some birds for Leonardo. He often bought caged little songbirds in the market, only to quickly sketch them and let them go. But catching them required patience and thought, so I left the girl to it, and went inside to see if I could help Leonardo out with anything.

To my surprise, by the end of the day, Adel managed to catch one little bird by nightfall, handing it to Leonardo in a grand gesture with a huge smile on her face. He blinked with surprise as he stared at the cage, then to Adel, and then to me while I laughed quietly at her excitement, and his confusion. Finally, he smiled, thanked Adel, and set to work on the sketching and releasing.

The day passed quickly, but night found me sitting in an armchair that I dragged over to Leonardo's desk, the hours dragging along unwillingly. I was nodding off slightly in front of the most recent sketched work of Leonardo's for his commissions, blinking harshly to keep myself awake. I didn't want to sleep, I didn't want to think about anything; I just wanted to focus on decoding the famous artist's writing. Yet the flickering light was strangely calming, as if trying to convince me to just lay down my head and rest my eyes for a bit...

"You should get some sleep." I jerked up, squinting slightly. Leonardo stood in the doorway with a mug of something hot, judging by the steam. He looked at me with some worry, as if trying to see just how far along the tracks of insanity I wandered. I shrugged.

"That's fine. Sleep isn't that important, anyway."

"What's been bothering you?" he asked, sitting on the other side of the table. I sighed, slouching in my seat.

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Well, no offense, but by the sound of it, Mario is only part of your decision to visit Milano."

"And why is that?"

"Is there someone after you?"

"Nope...not anymore. Everyone thinks I'm dead. It's very convenient, by the way."

"Then what's going on?"

"Venture another guess. I'll give you a hint. It starts with "E" and ends with "o", with only two other letters in the middle."

Pause.

"Did something happen between you and Ezio?"

"Bingo. Give the man a prize," I lifted my arms and gave two unenthusiastic claps, and immediately let my forehead fall onto the table.

"You two didn't separate, did you? After all that time-" he sounded worried for a moment.

"We didn't break up. Or - I don't think we did, anyway," I stopped him, moaning quietly into my arms.

"Then what happened? Did you have a fight? Did he cheat on you? Did _you_ cheat on him? Did the assassins tell you that you two couldn't be together anymore?"

"Uh…no, don't be silly!" I shook my head, still not lifting it.

"Then...what?"

"He proposed."

There was a stunned silence during which I felt like crawling under the table, curling up in a fetal position and whimpering. The very word "proposed" seemed to make my spine shoot straight, and my head hurt.

"But-but that's wonderful!" I looked up at him, his face shining with sincere excitement that made me feel even worse. Seeing the doomed, desperate and pathetic look on my face, he must have sensed something was wrong. "You didn't say no, did you?"

"Mm. I didn't."

"Then you said yes!"

"... not exactly."

"...I'm confused."

"Ditto."

"What did you do?"

"I really have no idea," I grumbled quietly, "I think he sort of made his own assumptions when I didn't answer."

"And?"

"And...nothing. I left for Milan the next day, and we never actually talked it through."

We sat in silence. I felt an itching need for alcohol, feeling even more depressed and guilty as I talked about what went down.

After a moment, Leonardo finally broke the quiet. "So what are you going to do?"

I let out a heavy breath, thumping my forehead back onto the table. "I don't know. It was just really sudden - I never expected him to…_propose_, of all things! Everything was perfectly fine between us, and there was no pressure, no hurry to go any farther...actually, I didn't even know there was a "farther"!"

"So you don't want to marry him?" Leonardo listened to my short rant with growing confusion.

"I…I don't know...it just seems like it's all for the wrong reasons."

"What do you mean?"

"It's only been a year since everything calmed down. And the entire time, he's been obsessing over the Templars' plans. Understandable, of course, but I felt a little neglected."

"So you think he's proposing only to make up for it?" he furrowed his eyebrows.

"Well...not exactly...I mean, it's also the fact that he thought I was dead, or that he thinks I'm still not over my dead boyfriend, or that either of us could die at any point..." It felt better saying it out loud finally, and to an understanding friend. "And if we do get married - what then? I can't really give him any of the normal stuff that he might want, and our job sort of makes it hard to settle, so…yeah. And what if he thinks that I'll put away my weapons and sit quietly in some house somewhere, waiting for him to come home?"

"I'm sure he doesn't think that," Leonardo calmed me down gently. "Eden, talk to him about this, I'm sure he'll explain his thoughts better than I can. But believe me - from what I know of Ezio, he would not make such an offer lightly."

"Even to Caterina?" I mimicked the name in a high pitched voice. "Who, by the way, has got to be at least twenty times better looking and more fragile than me. And she's definitely more likely to wash his socks for him. Not to mention, she's a frickin' _duchess of her own city_. I'm not naïve about this period in time, Leo. People married for status, to better their family name_-_"

"You'd be surprised," he suddenly chuckled. "Maybe it's true that Ezio wanted to marry her at one time. But he was a seventeen year old kid, still living as a noble, his family all still intac,t and his worldview a lot more innocent than it is now. He has changed a lot since then."

"That... true..." _Both of us had changed_, I thought to myself. "But still, I hardly think that getting married is the best way to go here. Things were going perfect…we don't need to do this..."

"You keep saying that, but to the wrong person," he reminded me and I stopped mid sentence. "When you come back to Venezia, talk to him. Hopefully that will give you some insight."

"To tell the truth, somehow, I don't think talking will fix anything."

A long silence passed between us as I tried to come up with some sort of solution to the situation, but my tired mind wouldn't give. I just wanted to close my eyes and fall into oblivion, but fear, once again, would allow me to.

Leonardo noticed the way my head kept dropping slightly only for me to lift it again and shake. "Now can you tell me why you don't want to sleep?"

* * *

~_Blood, blood, blood. Dripping __everywhere__. On the walls,__ pooling across the floor. Slashed __on the ceiling. There's a lot of blood, too. I painted __it__ with my hands, and there was plenty of it on those._

_Circles, squares. Lines and squiqqles...__the__ walls used to be white..._

_Gunshot._

_Screaming._

_More blood._

_"Cleare, I don't give a damn. Kill the brat now, and the mess that's her mom, too. The bastard needs to be taught a lesson."_

_And what can I do in response to the cold voice that leaked threats and death?_

_I killed._

_And painted_~

I sat up sharply, gasping for air. My breathing was erratic and shallow, my hands searching for the comforting warmth that Ezio always brought me. It took me nearly an entire minute to figure out that I was sitting on the floor in a tangle of my blanket, and Ezio was far away. Looking down at my hands, I almost expected to see stains on them. I couldn't help but let out a shaking breath of relief when I saw that the skin was clean. Bumping into the frame of the bed with forehead and trying to get myself under control again, I swallowed back the fear.

Worse! The nightmares were getting worse! They started a long time ago, as if my past decided that it did not want to stay behind. Everything was jumbled, but more often than not, I saw red, and I heard voices.

Who was I kidding? I needed Ezio.. when he held me tightly to him, gently shushing and kissing away my fear, I forgot everything within moments. But without him...it was like living in New York again.

Alone.

* * *

Early in the morning, Leonardo woke up to find Adel doing something very strange in the main room of the workshop. She was crawling around the floor on her hands and knees, wearing a blindfold around her eyes, her hands searching for something. He stood in the doorway for a moment in shock.

"You know, the process would go a lot faster if you could see," he noted, and her head whipped around in his direction, the movement followed by a pained sound as Adel hit her forehead on the table she was currently under. "What are you doing, anyway, _piccola?_"

"It's this thing Eden taught me a few months ago." She dropped her hand from her head, and continued to search for something. He noted that her hands were thoroughly moving over the outlines of objects, and then moving farther. "I have to find something that she hid in here."

"With a blindfold on?"

"_Eyes often lie,_" she quoted, "Something about intuition, as well."

"Um, if you say so." Leonardo was slightly confused. "So you do this often?"

"Mmhm. The first few times, I couldn't find it for hours. But now...aha!" she exclaimed with triumph as she lifted a large nut from somewhere behind his work station, and pulled off the blindfold. How on earth she found that thing in the room that was cluttered with broken models, projects, easels, panels, canvas, paints,and paper, he'd never know.

"What else do you do with her?"

"Lots of stuff. Writing and math. English for some reason. And running, lots of it. I think she said we will try climbing soon, as well."

"Where is she, anyway? Shouldn't she supervise this?" He realized that Eden was nowhere in sight or earshot.

"I'm not a child," she pouted in contradiction to her statement, "And she went for a walk really early in the morning."

"Did she?" he glanced at the door, thoughtfully chewing on his lip. He was beginning to worry about her, having seen her deny the fact that she was indeed human and needed sleep. When he finally convinced her to go to bed, he was woken up by a short, muffled groan and then whimpering that was very uncharacteristic of her. He decided he'd have a talk with Ezio, who knew her better than him, and perhaps figure out what was bothering her so much. Otherwise, she'd be the one cracking down the middle.

* * *

I surveyed Milan from underneath the low edge of my hood. As far as I knew, it wasn't much different from Venice. Well, aside from the lack of canals that took place of streets, the much more expensive looking clothes of its inhabitants, and the slightly different architecture. But life here was just like anywhere else - busy, boiling, moving. I went unnoticed as I moved through the streets. After all, what's another mysterious figure? Milan saw plenty of those everyday.

I passed by some alley where two young thieves were getting excited over a stolen pouch, and then past a merchant selling silks, and another with ceramics and porcelain. Two women were arguing heatedly with a man who was trying to sell them fabric of an unpleasant gray-green tone, and a little boy was running towards his father, carrying a heavy looking bag. It was exhilarating and slightly unnerving to be back in society. When I was in Venice, I was always distracted by something - Ezio, Templars, thieves, assassinations. But now I was walking with the pure purpose of exploration. I found my senses attuning to everything, my head buzzing with all the different conversations, the rich sound of the water in the river, the creaking of the signs and the clanking hammer of a blacksmith. There was too much noise in my head, and I suddenly wished I brought either Adel or Leonardo with me. But that would create some questions on their parts.

I finally settled on an easier (for me) way to check out the surroundings. I found an empty alleyway, and nimbly finding cracks and ledges in the wall and the frames of windows I climbed up to the roofs. As soon as the air became easier to breathe, I decided it was good to be back in the game. I was sort of loosing sight of it the past few months - all my contracts had sort of stopped, which I wanted to ask Mario about. I stretched, letting the cool air blow out all the thoughts out of my head.

_Enough of this. No more thinking of Ezio...no more nightmares...Maybe Milan will do me some good_, I decided absently. Breathing in a lung-full of fresh air, I felt a lot better.

I heard the footstep and whistle and reacted within a split second. My body moved before I even fully realized what was going on. I fell down, rolling over my shoulder quickly, and swiped my throwing knives during the movement. Where I formerly stood, a think, long needle was plunged into the tile.

"It's her, alright."

"Her? And there I was, hoping for a man. My girls are going to be crushed," a loud, piercing female voice shrilled before I finally saw my attackers. Standing not too far away was Mario, his fists on sides, surveying me critically. Beside him stood a woman in an expensive courtesan dress, fixing the little lock of bleached blond hair that fell out of place. She did not look anything like the women of Italy, with her almost porcelain skin, and extremely light gray eyes. Considering the long spikes in her hair, she was the one to throw the needle. And very masterfully, too.

Slowly, still slightly distrustful, I straightened out. "What the hell are you doing?"

"Just checking. There could have been a leak of intelligence," Mario shrugged, smiling at me warmly as he approached, as if greeting a family member.

"And the chances of that happening?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Very low," he laughed. The woman came forward slightly, crossing her arms and looking me up and down.

"So this is Eden Cleare I keep hearing of...not as often as Ezio, of course, but you slip in every now and again..."

"Umm, who are you?" I asked, certain I'd never seen or heard of the woman before. Finally seeing her up close, I saw a thin scar that went through her eye, on the opposite side than Mario. Fortunately for her, it missed the eyeball, so her sight was still good and clear.

"This is Madonna Leona," Mario replied with a flourish of her hand, "She is the owner of the brothel nearby. And of course one of our most trusted people in this city."

"Ah, Mario, you flatter me," Leona purred playfully, making me cringe slightly in horror. But considering the old assassin remained passive, I think she was just joking. Hopefully. Because it made an extremely disturbing image. "Now, will we be standing up here all day or shall we head back inside? He's still waiting, after all."

"Who?"

"Someone you should meet." Mario didn't go farther than that as I fell into step beside them, walking along the roof. I was happy to see him again, though I really would have rather not have been attacked on sight just to make sure that it's me and no one else. But aside from that, up until this moment I actually missed the old man. "When did you arrive into Milano?"

"Two nights ago. I'm staying at Leonardo's workshop with Adel."

"The man who deciphered the codex pages for us?" he seemed intrigued.

I nodded almost proudly. "Yes."

"I'd like to meet him some time, then."

"Right. Mario, why did you-" I tried to ask, but he interrupted.

"We'll explain everything once we get back inside."

"Impatient, aren't you?" Leona asked, letting out a cocky chuckle. I didn't respond, and she pouted.

* * *

The brothel was strikingly different from the ones I had the experience of entering. To me, it was overdone to highest degree. Petals were dropped on everything, expensive curtains were lining the walls, you couldn't even see the stair way under the rugs, more curtains and streamers, and an occasional pair of pants. Perfume seemed to touch ever atom of the air, even more heavily in here than in either Paola's or Teodora's establishments. Though it was a bit softer on the nose, I still likely lost my sense of smell for a few hours, though.

They, thankfully, didn't leave me in the hall to watch all the questionable activity that was going on, and led me to a room upstairs, at the very far end of the hall.

"You're back," a deep voice sounded from inside the room as Mario opened the door. "Is this her?"

Ezio's uncle nodded as he gave a respectful bow. Leona repeated the gesture somewhat stiffly. I did too, hoping to at least figure out who the hell we were talking to.

"Eden, this is Niccolo Machiavelli, the leader of the mercenaries in Florence."

I blinked as the name rang a loud bell in my head. I definitely remembered that name...politician and philosopher, I was forced to read one of his books in grade twelve. I was never into politics too much, but I did remember agreeing with him about whether it was better to be loved or feared by your people. I was already in the gang for a few years, so my choice was obvious.

"It's an honor," I smiled, easily meeting the man's eyes. He was a lot like the pictures I'd seen on the internet and in textbooks, the artists of this day apparently having done a very good job. Machiavelli nodded in response, a light smile on his lips. And then he gestured to the seats, at which Mario and Leona sat down. I followed suit.

"Likewise. I'm sure you're curious as to why you were called here?"

"Of course. But I thought I was charged with Ezio?" I recalled Mario's task, which seemed like an eternity back.

"You were, and you did a remarkable job in guiding him," he nodded. "I've been following the events throughout Tuscany and in Venice closely. But now, he hardly needs protection."

"I'd say," I muttered lowly, "Never seen a more capable man. He's absorbed every single thing I've taught him. But can I ask what all this secrecy was for?"

"He needed to think he was at least partially alone in this," Mario spoke up, having lounged in the chair next to me. "There's nothing more motivating than that."

I furrowed my eyebrows. "That's a risky game."

"But a necessary one. But now, he is ready. And hopefully, his independence will continue once he is officially part of the order. Which brings us back to why you were summoned."

"I'm all ears."

"As I'm told, you have a unique tattoo on your left shoulder, the mark of the assassins?" Niccolo inquired and I nodded slowly, my hand automatically reaching up to touch it through the fabric. "And your father gave it to you?" I nodded again, unsure where he was going. "And you began your life as an assassin at an early age."

"Not exactly," I said mechanically. "I didn't know about the assassins or templars. I was a...well, I guess a hired killer; I just killed whoever I was told. Sometimes for money. Sometimes just because I'd be punished if I refused. You know, the usual motivators."

"But what I don't understand is where you could have gotten such a...career. Forgive me if I sound rude," he carefully continued, "But you're a woman…and there aren't many people who would willingly teach one to fight and kill, much less pay them to do so." I felt my blood turn to ice, and I swallowed a lump in my throat, licking my lips nervously. "Where did you learn your skills?"

"That - is not important," I tried to wriggle out of the inquisitive, and very piercing eyes of the politician. "It's all in the past that I'd rather not remember."

"I'm afraid you are going to have to tell us the entire story if you want trust within the Brotherhood." He knew I was keeping something. Mario noticed the change in my tone as well, and turned fully towards me, his face inquiring.

I was afraid of that. Closing my eyes, I leaned back in the chair, almost collapsing into it. My resolution was forming, and I decided that Machiavelli was right - I was done. If I already created an alternative time line with my presence, hell, I might as well go all the way. "Fine! I'll tell you exactly what I told Ezio. He knows the entire story, so if you think I'm totally batshit insane, you can ask him to vouch for me. I'm not from around here."

"That was obvious enough when you came into my villa," Mario put in.

"I mean, I'm not even from this era!" I gave a nervous laugh. "I will sound completely insane right now, but I was born in the city of New York in the year nineteen ninety. My dad, an assassin, left when I was fourteen and never came back. My mother was attacked and raped a year later, I haven't seen my sister since, and I've been in a backstreet gang selling drugs and killing whoever my boss didn't like. Well, that was until one day I was doing my thing, running from cops, and then without any sort of warning, I was thrown onto one of the rooftops in Florence five centuries back in time!"

There was a very long pause. And I mean, one of those extremely long, uncomfortable, awkward, stunned and disbelieving silences in which I was sure that everyone present was not only questioning my sanity, but also getting ready to find a straitjacket. Or possibly, burn me at the stake. They tended to do that in this era, right? Oh, that's just _great…_

"See? Hardly something I could tell anyone," I concluded. "Oh, right, and I'm pretty sure the Pieces of Eden were responsible for the time travel thing. Just saying."

"That-" Mario started slowly, "Is either the most ridiculous thing I have _ever_ heard, or...perhaps the only plausible explanation to everything."

"What do you mean?" the woman, Leona, spoke up in monotone, as if she was still trying to wrap her head around the entire statement.

"When Eden first showed up, Ezio said it was like she came out of nowhere. She was dressed very oddly, in men's clothes, carried a large amount of strange weapons on her, and generally did not fit in," he explained. "And besides, you should have seen her in the fighting rink with my men and nephew. I doubt there is a woman in this time that can match that level of skill."

"I am still here!" I nearly jumped up in frustration. "What is it with people always talking about me in the third person?"

"_Mi dispiace_," Mario apologized quickly. "But…in other words, I…I don't think you're lying."

"I have no reason to lie. If I was one of the Templars, I'd have killed Ezio a very long time ago. Not run around with him helping him complete assassinations of the opposing order. And I would have definitely not-" I stopped there, sinking back into the chair, hoping no one noticed the blush. "-have taught him."

"You're right..." Machiavelli said slowly, with uncertainty, "But what you're saying seems impossible. However, with the Pieces of Eden out there, I suppose it is as likely as anything. Well then, when we get our hands on the Apple, we will be sure to see about getting you back to your time-"

"NO!" This time, I did jump up to my feet, nearly yelling the words with desperation and fear. Everyone seemed surprised at the outburst. "I am not going back! I will not go back to the time where I have no family or friends, but a gang that I have to mindlessly kill for. I will not leave the life I have here. And I will not leave the one purpose of my existence!" I was panicking - the thought of returning to the place I still had vivid nightmares of made me feel like an animal with my back against the wall. "There is just no way I'll ever agree to it! I'd rather just kill myself now than go and live the rest of my life like that!"

They were utterly shocked. Obviously, they did not realize just how strongly I felt about the situation, and how much I hated my life before I gotten here. Before I met Ezio.

"Eden, sit down…please," Mario finally said, and immediately, I felt a little more calm. "We won't force you to go. Things have likely already changed, so I think you may as well continue your life here. We just assumed that you'd want to go back home."

"Then the change is inevitable," Niccolo concluded, and I finally took a breath of relief. "As unlikely as your story seems, it rings true."

"Good," was all I was able to say. Leona didn't look like she believed me, but didn't say anything, thankfully.

"Ezio knows about this, too?"

"Yes. Told him just a month after we met. He only believed me when I demonstrated one of my weapons." I remembered the day, for I still had a picture Leonardo drew of a woman named Aria to remind me.

"Which weapon would that be?"

I hesitated, but decided that I may as well go with the whole truth. I reached to my belt, and I nearly laughed when I saw a reflexive flinch from everybody present. Taking out the gun that I only used for quick target practice every now and again, I handed it to Machiavelli. He took it without any fear, examining it over.

"That looks a lot like Ezio's pistol," Mario noted, and I nodded.

"That's the principle of it. It's a much more modern version, though, and definitely a lot more quiet and efficient. I've almost ran out of bullets, though, so I try not to use it."

"Can't your friend, Leonardo, help you make more?"

"Never got around to asking him." I still had plenty of loads for my rifle, though thinking back, I hadn't used it for a very long time.

There was a short silence, after which the Grandmaster handed me back the weapon, surprisingly without asking for it to be demonstrated. "You have me convinced. As we can't be certain if this is for the best or for the worst., we'll just assume that everything is the way it should be. But even with all that, and the markings on you, you are still not officially part of the Brotherhood."

I listened quietly, just thankful that the whole story blew over and I wasn't considered completely off my horse. It looked like there would no witch-burnings today.

"But still, I think you are more than ready to be one of us. And in two days, we will need all the help we can get."

"What's happening in two days?"

"Rumors, mostly," Leona spoke, her tone becoming business-like, "But if the hunch is correct, then we will have our hands full."

Machiavelli nodded. "Ludovico Sforza has taken over the reigns, but not everyone is happy about that."

"I can imagine." I'd already heard the entire story from Leonardo. Ludovico was never meant to be a Duke, and in this age, people were a little finickey about it.

"We caught word that there will be a party in the court-"

"And of course some idiot will attempt to kill him?" I raised my eyebrows, easily predicting the end of the statement.

"Yes. After the murder of Galeazzo, we've been on edge," Leona explained. "Giovanni tried to stop it, but he was too late. It's a good thing we found all the conspirators. But the word on the street is that they've given the people motivation."

"So we don't actually know if someone is going to try? Isn't that boy still the Duke, anyway?"

"Officially, yes. But his Uncle is the one who truly wields the power. But whatever happens, we have to infiltrate the Sforza Castle. Keep an eye out, listen, and be as discrete as possible. We don't trust Ludovico anymore than he trusts us, so it's better to stay out of sight."

I was almost disappointed. "And if something does happen?"

"We have suspects. A fairly solid trail and informants say that they are Templars. So if anything happens, they will likely be at the heart of it."

I thought about the situation for a long moment. Templars were easy enough to deal with by themselves. They were cowards, and surrounded themselves with guards and thick layers of lies. But they were unlikely to show themselves if there was a threat. Discretion would be crucial, but at the same time, particularly hard, as they'd probably be on a look out. If they didn't show themselves, we'd still have Templars on the loose that would just attempt the murder later, when there is no one around.

"I have one more question," I finally breathed. "How am I getting inside? If the party is really that important, I highly doubt they will be letting just about anyone inside."

"They don't. But I was under the impression that you are good friends with Leonardo da'Vinci?" The courtesan asked pointedly, like a teacher trying to push her favorite student to the answer.

It clicked inside my head. "Ludovico is Leonardo's patron, he's likely invited to the party." I wasn't sure just how much Sforza liked the artist at this point, of course, but there was no harm in asking.

I suddenly groaned lowly, rubbing my temples as my headache began to grow from the smell of the brothel, the new information, the planning that continued clicking inside my head as if on counting boards, and the thought that just came to mind.

_I have to wear a dress again, won't I?_


	32. Chapter 31

**A/N - **I did some concepts of the dress Eden is wearing in this chapter. Direct link is in my profile.

Aside from that- OMG, Brotherhood trailers look epic! I never got this excited over... well, anything before! Damn you, November, why are you so far away?...

* * *

~_We called it the Blood Season, a private joke among the gang. Once a year at any point, the list of people meant to die increased without any sort of reason. Blood all but streamed alongside garbage in the gutters, the police sirens could be heard all day long sometimes, houses were searched, murders investigated._

_It was a good week. Or a horrible one. The stash of money I hid under the loose floorboard grew. Blood money, but money nonetheless. After all, what do those store clerks care how I paid for food? They were just happy I didn't take out a gun and rob or shot them._

_I tried to call my sister one day. When it felt like my mind was going under the pressure of the foreign blood. I heard her voice on the other end, cracked, older, more mature than I last heard it screaming at me. I opened my mouth to say something, but no sound came out. Closing my eyes, I pushed the red button and listened to the disapproving beep._

_She didn't want to talk or see me, much less comfort me for the murders I committed. She didn't want to hear my voice, or remember me at all. And I wouldn't make her._

_I missed her... __even__ after everything..._

* * *

Noble dresses differed greatly from those that were affordable to commoners. Mostly in the fact that they were made of far finer material, embedded with jewels, and/or gold and silver threaded brocade, and the designs were more elaborate. Sewn by many working hands, each individual piece of clothing was lent its own uniqueness. Expensive as hell, too, but money was no problem.

I stood in front of the mirror, afraid to so much as twitch in case the entire cake we built up would come crashing down. Because that's just what my reflection reminded me of - a cake. The dress was multicolored. Crimson, gold, silver, blue and fiery orange, and frilly in a lot of parts, the waistline was high enough to make me feel slightly uncomfortable, as it sat just below my bustline. I'll admit, though, it was very beautiful, with long sleeves that went fell past fingertips, silver threads embroidered along the edges, and the rich, lush touch velvet and silk. My hair was done in a tight braid that was encased in silk ribbons and a couple of pearls, only a few loose curls escaping at the front. The overall composition reminded me of Paola for some reason.

"So? How do you feel?" Leonardo asked, laughing slightly at my discomfort.

"Ridiculous," I dropped bluntly. "The dress I was pushed into for the _Carnevale _season in Venezia, I can understand. But this is just..."

"Uncomfortable?" he helped me out in the struggle for words. I scrunched my face slightly.

"No, I mean yes, a little. But I think the words I'm going for would be overpriced, poofy, and _busy. _Not to mention, it also makes me look like a parrot."

"All the other women will look the exactly same, and you would stand out too much if you dressed any simpler." His words didn't bring much comfort.

"I don't care what those fluffed peacocks think, I just don't get how I'm supposed to do my job in this!"

I loved the uniform that I had custom made for me during the sixteen months of peace in Venice. It was subtly like Ezio's, but with personal adjustments that made it more practical. The hood and cloak were black for easier blending, my legs unrestrained by pants but instead with short material over my knees so I wouldn't scrape or burn as easily on the free running. And I'd added a few secured belts with throwing knives that were more carefully concealed. That outfit was comfortable, practical, and I felt times more dangerous than in a dress like this. But on the other hand, conditions were rarely ideal, and I had to adapt to it.

"Well, you managed just fine with the _Carnevale_."

"Because I was allowed to mutilate the dress until I could actually walk without tripping over something." I grumbled again, automatically trying to flatten down the skirt at least a little bit so I wouldn't feel like an immobile hourglass.

Leonardo continued to laugh at me, masking it with a cough fit. Eventually, I couldn't take it anymore, and snapped, "Well, if you ever tried something like this on, you'd see my point." To my shock, he stopped laughing, blushed, and cleared his throat. I narrowed my eyes slightly, a grin forming on my painted lips. "Have you ever tried it?"

"When I was younger - on a dare!" he quickly explained. "I was friends with the son of a rich merchant, he really wanted to see if I'd fit into his mother's dress."

"And did you?"

He blushed harder, and Adel was already gasping from laughter. "That is really beside the point…we should get going or we'll be late."

"If you say so," I let myself giggle, and took one last look in the mirror. Words with words, but discounting the entire impracticality of the outfit, I was pleased with the effect. No one could really tell real jewels from fakes from far away, anyway.

When Leonardo finally got over his embarrassment, he asked, "Do you need me to go over the etiquette?"

"No, that's fine. Teodora was forcing it into me for at least a month last year." I shuddered at the memory.

Adel, opposed to me, loved my outfit, however. She was staring at me in awe, as if trying to figure out how the hell her teacher, who never wore anything other than male clothing could make a transformation into a cake - I mean, a noble woman.

"I think you look lovely," Leonardo offered as some comfort, and I smiled.

"Will I be as pretty as you when I'm older?" Adel suddenly asked me, and I blinked in surprise.

"No." When I saw her face fall, I laughed, and patted her on the head, "You'll be a lot prettier." Her expression cleared immediately, and she smiled broadly.

I picked up my fan, and quickly instructed Adel right before leaving with the artist. "If something happens, leave through the upstairs window, stay quiet, and find the nearest courtesan, thief or mercenary. As far as I can tell, all of them without exceptions are allies. Just drop Madonna Leona's name or Mario's, and they should take you to a safe spot."

"I _know_, Eden," she smiled, rolling her eyes, "We _have_ been over this."

"Yes, well, sometimes I feel like you're not listening to me," I stuck my tongue out at her, catching up with Leonardo, who was watching us with amusement.

"I can see that smirk, and I'd get rid of it if I were you because I have instructions for you as well," I straightened my posture, evening out my step to match the elegant walks of noblewomen. Somewhere at the back of my head I thought that Eve would fit into this role a whole lot better than me, as she always loved dresses and skirts and tea parties. Though perhaps not so much lately...

He sighed dramatically. "Oh, alright, lay it on me."

I was serious, however. "There's a good chance of something happening tonight."

"Define 'something,'" his voice was slightly alarmed.

"I'm not even sure, it all depends on how confident the other side is tonight. But in any case, I might be exposed, and a surprising amount of people might remember just when and how I got inside, and who I talked with. I don't want you involved in this."

He blinked. "So-" I think he remembered the little incident that happened years ago, involving a guard who was trying to get Ezio's whereabouts out of him.

"So at the first sign of trouble, get the hell out of there. We have people to protect you, as well as the other informants, but it's best not to take chances. And I wouldn't want to risk your career, either."

"Eden," he replied, amazingly content and unsurprised by anything I just said, "I've read the codex pages, as it's a little hard not to catch their drift while I translate. My career is hardly important compared to this... war."

"You'd be surprised."

We walked the already darkening streets of Milan, towards the Castle of Sforzas. Thankfully it wasn't too far, but far enough that I was growing irritated with the glances I received. Soon I decided to focus on more important matters, though, and recounted the five suspected traitors in the court. In the two days I was given before the party, I worked with Leona to find out as much as I could about their situations. There wasn't too much to go on, but I didn't need much. Just a name and appearance, and after that, intuition and common sense would do the rest.

The five consisted of Federico and Gruello Ragia, two brothers that didn't hold each other in much regard, but still worked together in their dirty little deeds, an old noble banker by the name of Luzio Enamente, an unimportant but so far unnamed French ambassador, who we suspected was Borgia's personal spy in the court, and another man that we knew almost nothing of, except that he was important in one way or another.

But those five men didn't have to die. Assassins were not completely off their rockets as some would think- Mario explained that we would act only on solid evidence, or if they made the first move.

"You know, it's really strange that our targets are never women anymore," I muttered thoughtfully.

"Nothing strange about that. No offense, but women don't usually hold any positions of importance. Why? Have you ever got a contract for-"

"A few," there was a little spasm in my cheek at the memories - they seemed closer than ever without Ezio to distract me. My nightmares had prevented me from having a good night's sleep for at least a week already, and I was truly thankful for the makeup I was forced to wear to cover the signs of fatigue. "Nothing I'd like to remember."

~_Like the way they screamed when the saw the knife or gun in my hand, or the way they pleaded for me to let them go... the way I convinced myself that their whines were pathetic and weak so I wouldn't cringe at their pain..._~

Leonardo glanced at me with a strange look. I quickly wiped the manic and possibly twisted expression off my face, and went back to the cool state of blank, like Teodora taught me. The entire act was a little painful, as my back seemed unnaturally straight, and the fact that I was afraid to even twitch my face because of all the make up. Anything less than perfect in those parties would summon suspicion, something that I really did not need. But I still I hated acting perfect.

Especially when I was so far from it.

* * *

The party was huge. And I mean, absolutely colossal. Not one of those noble parties for close friends, but the full blown celebration, with nearly every rich family in Milan invited. I was extremely lucky that Ludovico held Leonardo in high enough standing to allow him to come, or I'd have a lot more trouble getting inside. Guards were posted on all the walls, standing around the giant ball room, and lined up in the corridors. It was crowded, and reeked of expensive perfumes and powder. The food summoned some suspicion from me, so I stayed away from the exotic caviar, pastries, meats and fruits. It seemed like no expense was spared.

I underestimated the amount of people slightl y- finding one person within the brightly colored nobles that seemed to be in competition of who was the most decorated and wore the most ridiculous costume would prove nearly impossible. Yet somehow, everyone seemed to know each other. The women banded together, whispering among themselves, or yelling, or giggling, the men politely talking to each other. Even the servants seemed to remember everyone's names as they carried around the drinks and appetizers.

It took me five minutes after I accidentally separated from Leonardo to realize that I was a little confused as to where I even was in relation to the front doors. Colors and lights flashed before my eyes, and I finally just made my way to the stairs, where the air was easier to breathe. Stopping there, I closed my senses to the noise around me. For one moment, it felt as if I went blind and deaf, giving me a few precious minutes of blissful silence. And then I heard and saw again, but everything was filtered, selective, and organized.

All around me were grays. I didn't hear or register them.

"Who is she?"

"Never seen her before... probably some mistress or something." The women on the opposite end of the room were pink, showing their slight distaste at my presence, but not missing the chance to gossip about the new arrival. I could hear them clearly over the slight buzz in my ears. Out of entertainment, I continued to eavesdrop.

"I saw her come in with the painter."

"So he's taken? Now there's a shame..." one of the widows spoke, and I heard a longing sigh. I resisted a smirk - I really doubt that the ladies would have stood a chance, even though he was available. Leonardo _was_ a very handsome man, with his sandy brown hair, charming, innocent blue eyes and absentminded behavior that I guess you could call intriguing. But somehow, the idea of him with a woman, especially with one of the widows that roamed these parties, was almost make believe. And laughable.

Speaking of Leonardo, I finally found him by the shiny blue light he was omitting. He stood by one of the walls, not too far from me, almost thoughtfully eating a cracker. At least I think that was a cracker. The host himself, Ludovico Sforza, glowed a very, very pale blue, somewhere between an ally and the whitish, neutral gray of an informant. A few of Leona's girls could also be seen scattered around the room, a healthy, unmistakable blue.

My eyes were drawn to the contrasting, almost painfully bright yellow of five men, all standing away from each other. I resisted the urge to squint, hurrying to hide my face in my fan.

Information... I needed...

_Eagle Vision has got to be the most useful thing that Ezio ever taught me,_I thought to myself as I searched through all the conversations of the room, probing for the names I needed. Soon, I found them.

Plastering what I hoped passed as a pleasant smile over my lips, I walked slowly across the room, blinking off the glow effect as I aimed for just past the group of men. My ear twitched slightly by itself as I listened to the conversation.

"-and then he said that wouldn't give it to me for a florin under the selling price. The nerve..."

"Did you hear about Francesco?-"

"That woman over there has some big-"

Disappointing. Absolutely useless small talk, though I shouldn't have expected anything less. One of the men, however, caught my eye as I walked past. I could feel his gaze turn interested as it slipped over my face and down to my chest. I felt like gagging at the thought of what I just reduced myself to in the eyes of others, but nonetheless, I fluttered my eyelashes, flirtatiously smiling at the man without any sort of feeling, just to give him an ego boost, and perhaps make him move on.

Ezio would've had a stroke. And Jake would've died of laughter.

I continued to look around until the man who made eyes at me earlier detached himself from the group and followed me into the crowd.

"Such a beautiful woman like you shouldn't be left all by yourself," he smiled sweetly as we stopped at the tables. "Would you mind if I keep you company?"

"Not at all, Messer...?" I bluffed - I cared very little for the name of one of the marks' servant, bodyguard, gay lover, or whoever the hell he was. I shifted my eyes through the crowd carefully,

"Frone, but please, call me Augusto. And who might you be?"

"Celia Nevieli," I told him my fake name. I had at least five for this occasion, but that one was my favorite.

"It's very crowded in here, don't you find?" The hint was so obvious I was severely tempted to just kill him in front of the entire party. But as that would be a very stupid idea... "Who would you like to-

"Oh, sweet daughter of mine, are you playing your games again?" a booming voice called me, coming up just behind the man. I raised my eyebrow at Mario with fake surprise, but kept up.

"Not at all, Father. Simply having a conversation," I smiled angelically, and the mercenary turned to Augusto, who was slowly becoming more and more pale at the sight of a man who was a head taller than him, his face scarred and scary even with the friendly smile on it. Even dressed in slightly more rich clothes than his usual armor, he was a menacing sight to behold.

"You must forgive my daughter, she likes to give men trouble."

"It's-it's not a problem- I'll just go-" the man stuttered, and hurried to make his exit, scurrying away. I grinned widely. Mario was definitely someone I wouldn't mind being related to.

"I didn't think of that. Thanks."

He shrugged, watching Frone with amusement before turning to me. "Had your fun now? There's work to do!"

"I thought Niccolo was handling the politics?" I raised an eyebrow.

"That's not what I meant. Keep your eyes on the prize, one of them disappeared from the party," he grumbled lowly, overlooking the crowd. "I think whatever they planned will begin soon. Go warn Ludovico of the conspiracy, he seems to be in a more... receptive mood now."

"After three goblets of wine, obviously he'd be open-minded. I'll snap to it."

I left the man's side, and made my way once again through the stifling crowd. The host was standing in a large group of people, beginning to already show signs of boredom, though we were barely an hour into the festivities. I made eye contact with the man, bowed my head politely, and gestured with my eyes to the side. He eagerly took the opportunity to get away from the nobles, and met me in a more secluded corner that was blocked from view by curtains and musicians.

"To who do I owe the chance to get away from the arrogant prattle of the nobles?" His opening took me slightly off guard, as I wasn't expecting such a blunt statement. "And before you make up some story, let me tell you that I know who you are."

"Pardon?" a little alarm went off in my head.

He laughed quietly, deep voice gravelly and low, but full of practiced authority. "I was not born yesterday. But don't worry, I know that if you wanted me dead, you wouldn't waste time with talk. And to tell the truth, since Galeazzo's assassination, your presence is welcome. Now, what is it you wanted to tell me, _signorina?_"

I decided I liked the man. He was not showing any of the arrogance I expected from him, and he seemed reasonable enough. Not to mention, he didn't make any gesture to show that he expected any sort of acting on my end. Much like his niece, Caterina Sforza, with whom he shared the same bright blue eyes, strong features and curling, auburn hair, it seemed he had no patience for games. So I told him exactly what was happening. "There's a conspiracy, five men in this room are traitors. It would save us all a lot of trouble if their target is safe-"

"And then how will we ever catch them?" He didn't seem surprised by the news in the slightest. "Let them come. Hiding now would just alarm them that something is wrong, and they you'll be chasing smoke."

I chewed over what he said quickly, and adjusted the plan in my head until in clicked into a whole piece. "If you say so."

"I trust that you will be there to stop this before it's blown out of proportion, however. The last Duke's incident showed that guards are not the safest measures of security."

"Honored by the trust," I murmured, "I'll inform the others."

"You do that. And I'll just go back to my slow and painful torture that is this party. Really, I don't like them that much..." I grinned at his back, more than satisfied by the turn of events.

When I got back to the ballroom and attuned back into Eagle Vision, I realized that all the yellow markers were gone from the room. I shifted my eyebrows together, and scanned the crowd in search of Ludovico. Thankfully, he was still present, and seemingly happy and satisfied. I approached Leonardo, touching his elbow. When he looked at me, he seemed confused at first, and then recognition sparked.

"How's everything going?" he asked quietly.

"Surprisingly smooth. Listen, Leonardo, things are probably going to get ugly from here on out. You should get ready to hide yourself."

He sighed, though he didn't look as if he was enjoying the party all that much. "Of course. By the way, a charming young lady came up to me with a message."

"What message?" I looked around at him, alarmed.

"Some woman by the name Leona is waiting for you upstairs in the last room of the hall. And she also said not to make noise."

My eyes sifted through the room quickly. Was there another change of plans? Or did they find out something? "Strange..."

I forced myself to calmly walk away from Leonardo through the crowds, pretending I didn't feel the calls and glances. At the stairs, I didn't look back as I continued to walk. The two levels were open to the guests, though not many people wandered this way, just as they didn't go into the gardens due to the chilly night. The corridors were nearly deserted. I finally allowed myself to go as fast as I could without tripping on the hem of the dress through the decorated, cold, marble hallways of the castle. When I was at the door, I stopped, listened for a moment for the patrolling guards, and walked inside.

The room was a spare bedroom, by the looks of it. It seemed smaller in comparison to the master bedrooms that sometimes included three different rooms in them, but was still large enough to see that Milan was kind to its guests. The large windows were blocked by the heavy curtains, and a single candle was lit, though it provided very little light.

Leona was pacing in front of the bed like a ghost, somehow managing to be completely quiet with the many layers to her dress. When I walked inside, her head jerked to me.

"What is going on?" I whispered lowly, shutting the door behind me.

"There's been some developments," she was serious for once, small wrinkles of worry forming. "They know the Brotherhood is at the party."

"What?"

"We got this too late," she waved an envelope in her hand. "They are planning a sweep...this was a trap."

"Wait, what? What do you mean a sweep?" I actually got a little worried. "Leona, step by step, what is going on?"

She stared at me for a long moment, and then let out a frustrated sigh. "Fine! One of my girls snatched the letter off one Rigera brothers, right before he disappeared from the party along with the rest of the conspirators."

"What did the letter say?"

"It-it informed them of the Assassin presence. So far, no names, but if this goes on...they're expecting us to act, to give ourselves away somehow."

"And is either the Duke or his uncle involved?" I asked fast, finally catching up with the situation.

"Ludovico is not likely in danger - if something does happen, the Templars have nothing to win from the situation."

"Did you find the documents you were looking for?" I was snapping the calculations in my head at the speed of lightning.

"Yes and no, for they didn't yield anything of value. Likely it was just bait."

"Then we should get out of here before things take a bad turn." Most of the guards were on the Sforza side, but if a coup happened, they would stab first, ask questions later. Not to mention, there would be panic, and more people were bound to show up. And there was no telling how the Duke would react to either of our presences revealed so openly...

"We can't."

"What? Why?"

"The coup will go through even without us, and then, there will be no one left to protect the innocents," she bit her lip.

"So what the hell do you want me to do?"

"Niccolo said to draw them out of the party. We'd have no problem facing them then," she finally got to the point. I immediately calmed down - so there was a plan.

"How do we do that?"

Now, she actually cracked a smile. "Theatrics, Eden. We're going to give them exactly what they are expecting."

* * *

Say all you want about how my mental health is going and how I should be tucked into an asylum and never shown to humanity again, but I was having fun.

I marched through the entire ballroom with a knife out up to the man who we knew for sure was one of the Templars. Before he even realized what I was doing, I stabbed him in the gut with unnecessarily large and jerky movements, just so no one would have a doubt what I was doing. The man choked on his own blood, and then let out a strangled, but still very loud scream as I threw him to the ground. Unpleasantly warm blood sprayed over me, and I didn't back away from it, letting it gain its' effect.

And to tell the truth, I had slight trouble keeping off the gleeful look off my face as I stared back into the horrified faces of the people around me, and mentally counting down.

Three... two...

"ASSASSIN!"

It was like the gunshot at a race to my ears. I picked up the skirt which I previously cut through to allow a quick getaway, and with my knife still out to scare away the screaming nobles, I carved my way past. Guards began to move, but were slowed considerably by the same crowds I was tearing through. When I felt someone try to grab some part of my dress, I allowed it to rip, even helping it with my dagger.

One of them suddenly appeared in front of me, but instead of wasting the precious time I had left to make my exit, I just sent a throwing knife into his throat and shoved under his arm on my way. Familiar adrenaline pumped in my ears as I made it outside. I didn't pause for even a second, running just as fast as I could through the raised gates, leaving the watchmen staring at my back with amazement. The bells began to toll behind me, and I smiled on my way - the bait was laid and taken.

In the first alley I got to, I finally slowed, getting rid of a good half of the fabric in the skirt and reaching to my back to loosen the lacing even further. Breathing fast, I listened for my pursuers, and I heard them. I dropped the scatters of my skirt inside the full barrel meant for rainwater, and continued down through the winding alleys. I didn't run too far, though, but hid in the shadows, waiting.

And of course, they came.

"Come out, Assassin!"

_Like hell._

The Templars outnumbered me, which made them cocky. They knew I was in the area - I didn't bother hiding my trail.

"That was pathetic - Gruello is still bleeding out on the floor of the castle, and the entire city is aware of your presence now. Is that how your gang works?" The man didn't seem too sad about his brother's death, I noted. I glanced at the group out of the alley - four richly dressed men with swords and daggers, flanked by five guardsmen.

I caught the glimmer in the shadow of the alley across the plaza. My mouth twitched into a twisted smile, and I straightened out, letting out a cackle worthy of a hag, and coming into the street torch lights slowly. Their eyes darted to me. To my satisfaction, I could tell at least half of them were thinking of just making a run in the opposite direction of the insane woman with a sharp object.

"What do you know, the food comes to me now!" I continued the comedy, showing my lipstick stained teeth. I most likely looked like a freak show. Oh well, rather that then the groomed, perfect lady I was just an hour previous. "Who shall I eat first? The fat one? No... I like my figure...the skinny ones are all bone though!"

That was enough for the two very young, likely newbie guards to decide it just wasn't worth it, and book it. But the Templars remained unimpressed, if somewhat disgusted by my behavior. All of them seemed in their mid thirties. They'd probably seen worse, considering a lot of them had the reputation of torture and cruelty.

"Stop with your insanity, whore. Put you weapon down, you're outnumbered."

"Hm, I don't think that's quite right, though." My voice became normal again. Both my wrists flickered, and two of the throwing knives I'd hidden in the folds of my skirts felled two more men on either side of my targets. The bells were becoming annoying..."Count again."

The men watched two guards fall without any emotion, but they did twist in anger when another one of their side kicks turned and ran, screaming something about a witch.

"You're only one girl," the older man of the four spoke, threatening me with his sword, "Don't think your tricks will work on us."

"Well, perhaps then we should change the tune," I smiled at a familiar voice. Two more men joined us in the light of the street, coming from behind me.

"Mario, your timing is perfect, as always," I grinned widely, remembering the first time I met him; he and his mercenaries came seemingly out of nowhere just as Vieri de'Pazzi made the decision to end our lives two years ago. Mario greeted me with the same smile, and threw me a light sword, which I caught and immediately readied for battle.

"That was some display," Machiavelli drew his sword on the step, his face somewhat disapproving. "The entire city is on the look out by now. We have five minutes to get to the safe house."

"More than enough, I'd say!" I laughed. The Templars' faces grew longer at the sight of the two men, one of them sporting a good number of battle scars and impressive size, the other seemingly completely confident in his abilities. There was no doubt left - outnumbered or not, we had the major advantage. And seeing as they knew just as well that they couldn't get away, they made the first move.

I was given an amazingly large amount of attention, making me feel as if I offended the Templars with my temporarily display of insanity. But soon, after I continued to slip from underneath their blades and the few openings were easily taken advantage of by the two other Assassins, they learned better. Mario, I was happy to see, still had all of his fire and ability, and Niccolo was masterfully finding weak spots in the enemy's defenses. They worked in silence, all the threats already exchanged, all the taunts proven wrong. But us...

"You've got better in sword play!"

"Thank your nephew for that one," I called out to Mario, "He wouldn't rest until my hands were ready to fall off."

"Look at them dance...you think you can get the better of us?" one of the Templars nearly screamed in frustration. "You probably don't even know our names!"

"Muwahaha, fear me!"

The battle froze for one moment, everyone present staring at me with shock. A few eyes twitched, I shrugged, and took the moment to strike down another conspirator.

The old noble was the next to fall with Mario's sword in between his shoulder blades. One after the other, they died, but with due respect, they fought to their very end. The civilians had surely heard the sounds of battle, but no one came rushing to see what was going on, even guards seeming to avoid the place carefully. After all, they had wives and children, and no doubt they wanted to survive the night.

The three of us and one unconscious Templar were all that was left of the battle.

"Were they the suspects?" I asked, looking down into the faces of the dead enemy one last time before hurrying after the men. Mario finally noticed my mutilated and cut dress that exposed a lot of my legs and arms, coughed, and handed me his cloak. I smiled briefly before I wrapped myself in it. Then he busied himself in throwing one of the Ragia brothers, who was beaten and unconscious, over his shoulder.

"Yes, though that one was not on our charts. I think he was some German banker. I'm not sure what he was doing in Milano, though. But hopefully, he one will provide some answers..."

"Where is this safe house, anyway?"

"Leona's brothel," Niccolo replied, and I immediately shook my head.

"Too far. Leonardo's workshop is just around here, and they've likely already searched it. Adel is holding down the fort inside-"

"Is it safe?"

"Safer than certain places."

"True enough. Lead the way, then."

The panic was still going strong on the streets other than the one we fought on, so we kept as much as possible to the back alleys, out of sight. That way, we only had to knock one overly curious guard out, and made it to the workshop quickly and quietly.

"_Dio mio_, Eden, can't you stay out of trouble for one day?" the artist slapped his forehead, but nonetheless allowed us to come inside. "I thought it was Ezio's influence at first, but..."

"Nope, I think it goes the other way," I tried to smile, but it felt strained. "Besides, I warned you."

"No one ever suspects me. And no one recognized you during the - ah, come on inside, into the room upstairs."

"Adel!" I called, and immediately heard the girl approach, unfazed by the blood. I made sure to get the squeamish instincts out of her as soon as possible, as I sometimes brought in corpses for some of our lessons, showing her the different parts. "Consider this another practical lesson."

"Is he dead?" she asked almost business-like, walking behind Mario and staring into the man's face. "Male of about thirty five years, then."

"Actually, he's not-"

At that moment, he shifted and groaned, making the girl flinch away violently and let out a small yelp. By then we managed to get up the stairs and into the spare room that Adel and I occupied, and dumped him in the nearest chair.

"There will be consequences," Niccolo said grimly, seemingly mentally calculating the outcome of my somewhat foolish display. I left him to that, focusing on the more important matters.

"Did everyone get away?" I asked quickly, and he nodded.

"Leona and her girls, as well as a few from the Thieves Guild got lost in the crowds as soon as the panic started. If they had anymore followers, they won't find them."

"Then it's all worth it. We can deal with Sforza some other time," Mario grumbled as he slapped the man that was slumped in the chair.

"Adel, you-" I was about to say something, but she shushed me, showing no signs of leaving. I rolled my eyes and caved, turning my attention back to the waking man.

"What's your name?" Mario asked loudly.

"Fed- Federico," the Templar's eyes rolled, and he stuttered through the blood in his mouth. For someone who was cockily shouting threats and insults to me barely twenty minutes ago, he turned into an obedient coward rather quickly.

"Why were you at the Sforza castle?"

"I-" he hesitated, but when Mario lifted his hand for another hit, he hurriedly began to speak. "No! I'll tell you everything! We were ordered…we knew you Assassins would try something-"

"Us?" I asked skeptically, "We were calmly enjoying the party until you ruined our evening."

"We planned a sweep...take you out quickly, get rid of the threat..."

I almost felt sorry for him. Almost. I took a stride to Mario's side, and he let me take over for a moment. "Who ordered you?"

Hesitation. My hit was slightly less powerful than the mercenary's would have been, but it still sent the man to the floor, whimpering. I felt disgust at the grueling and pleading that came from him. "I'll ask again. Who ordered you?"

"Borgia."

"Why?"

"Distract the Assassins." Finally, some truth was shed. "It was important for you to be here…that boy, Ezio Auditore, he was supposed to be with you-"

"What is he talking about?" Leonardo asked somewhere behind me.

I tried to connect the dots inside my head. Realization came quickly, making my eyes widen. "The-the expedition from Cyprus is coming back soon! I can't believe I nearly forgot! But why is it so important for-"

"I don't know! I swear the god, I told you everything!"

As much as I hated it, he was telling the truth. He was hardly important enough to know why his Master went through all that trouble to send his men to Cyprus.

"Then one last question," I turned back to the writhing man on the floor. He stared at me with the pathetic eyes of a prisoner looking at his executor. "There was a girl that died more than a year ago by the name of Eden Cleare. Why did your master want her captured so much?"

"Girl-? I heard something, with the edge of my ear...promise you'll spare me-"

"You're in no position to be making demands." Mario snarled, "Answer the question and I'll think of letting you go!"

"She was a piece...a piece of something...The master wanted her... that's all I know, I swear! Now let me-"

My blade cut through his throat so cleanly it could have been just a pleasant surprise to the wounded, dying man.

There was a slightly stunned silence in the room in which I straightened out, and shook the blood off my knife. "What? No volunteers? Then I'll start. First of all, let me express the thing that's going through all of our heads right now." I took a deep breath, "What the-" I glanced at Adel, and finished with a term a lot weaker than the one I intended. "-hell."

"Sounds about right..." Niccolo was staring at the corpse behind me with shock.

"Those guys are nutcases," I growled, walking past the men out of the room and down the stairs. "They think I'm a Piece of Eden? What kind of waffle is that? Can humans even be Pieces?"

"Well, actually..." Mario caught up with me. "There was a woman at around Altair's time, she's mentioned in the codex."

"Alright, but I am absolutely positive on the fact that I am not a piece of anything mystical or weird!" I flapped my hands like a giant, insane bird. "Wouldn't I know? Wouldn't someone else know?"

"Calm down, Eden," Leonardo spoke softly. "You are right, it's just a misconception. Borgia heard of a woman that can take down small battalions (and you should hear the rumors going around about you, by the way), and considering your gender, he decided on the one explanation that seemed logical to him."

"Besides, this explains why they wanted to capture you, instead of killing you," Mario made himself comfortable at the table. I took a deep, calming breath. "And perhaps he was going to use you to lead Ezio right into a trap."

"You're right. But we still have major problems to deal with. The Black Galley will come to port in Venice in just more than a week. That means they probably have the Apple."

"And Rodrigo Borgia will be there to collect. That's why he wanted the Assassins distracted or killed here." Machiavelli narrowed his eyes, and I nodded.

"Wait!" We all looked around as Leonardo outburst suddenly. "The codex - I remember! If I just..." He began to dash around the room without further explanation, leaving us to stare at him with confusion.

"Does he do this often?" Mario asked, and I nodded slowly.

"Leo, what are you doing?"

"Aha!" he suddenly made a sound of triumph as he extracted a rolled up piece of parchment from somewhere. "I can't believe I've never noticed before!" He spread it out on the table, and many more notes fell out.

"Are those-?"

"The codex pages! I've kept track of the translations, just in case I wanted to study it further! But look, here, on the back. There are words that are cut off, but..."

"It's some sort of prophecy, we haven't been able to make sense of it for a long time." Mario leaned over the notes as well.

"But with the one that Eden brought me, I think we can finally...look!" he traced the writing with his finger. "The Prophet will appear when the second piece is brought to the floating city!"

"The Prophet?" I asked lowly, my memory ringing a persistent bell in my head.

"_Protect the Prophet with your life, if you have to, Signora!_" The insane beggar on the streets of Florence was lost to my memory up to that point, but sudden realization of the meaning floated up right in my face.

"Ezio," I whispered.

"What?"

"I mean, Rosa will likely tell him when the ship is coming back, and he will go in for the kill."

"We will be there to back him up." Mario said firmly. "I will send out word to La Volpe and Paola in Florence, and you have to gather Antonio, Sister Teodora and Bartolomeo in Venice. We will have to make sure to give Borgia the warmest welcome." He suddenly looked at me for a long moment, causing me to arch a brow of question as he continued, "But before that, I think there's a few things we should take care off..."


	33. Chapter 32

The summer day found Ezio sitting by himself on one of the benches, not far from the Palazzo Ducale. Thinking grimly and staring at the tiles of the street as if it was responsible for the murder of his family, he let out a long, ragged sigh. He was not in the best of moods, but that was not news to anyone. For two weeks already, he was nothing but a moody, pessimistic dark cloud, threatening to strike lightning at anyone who came near him. No one knew why, but the general idea was clear - Eden Cleare had not been in Venice for just as long.

His thoughts were jumbled. Eden was only a part of his frustration and confusion, if a dominant one. The expedition to Cyprus still hasn't returned, though something in his gut was telling him that it was on its way back. And the Templars were too quiet for his liking; no one attempted to take over power in Venice for the last few months, and no one was sent after Ezio or any of his allies. It was unnerving. What was also uncomfortable was the annoying, nagging feeling that something big was about to happen. It couldn't have come at a worse time, as Eden was missing from his side, and he had little to no idea what he was going to do about anything.

"Why so serious?"

He flickered his eyes upwards at Rosa. The woman seemed as cheerful as the sun overhead of them, something slightly uncharacteristic of her.

"It's my birthday." The words sounded more like he was admitting some very unpleasant chore.

"Really? But that's wonderful!"

"Is it?" he humphed. "It's been years since I watched my father and brothers die, and I've spent those years hunting down those responsible. I'm so close to the end now...but still no closer to understanding what any of it was for."

"Ezio, you may not see it, but it's better here now because of the things you've done," she attempted to cheer him up. But it didn't do much to improve his mood. She was right, of course. Agostino was a better Doge to Venice, though comparing him to his brother didn't really mean much. The city resources that were depleted by the Templars' attempts to buy the people's love have been refilled, and the taxes lowered considerably. The thieves were no longer hunted with so much eagerness, due to some sort of agreement between Antonio and the Doge. The merchants had no fear of setting up their stalls anymore, and mercenaries were not sent out to more battles in the streets. Even the courtesans operated with little trouble from the usually abusive guards, for Sister Teodora apparently struck a deal with the doge as well.

Venice was happy. But Ezio didn't care much at that moment. His thoughts were filled with the codex, Rodrigo Borgia, Cyprus, and, of course, Eden.

As if reading his mind, Rosa raised her eyebrow. "No word from her?"

"No."

"She'll come back, you know she can't be too far away from you for too long," she teased, sitting down beside him. He swallowed the retort that things may have changed, feeling the light sting in his heart again. "But, _basta_! Come now, I have a 'birthday' present for you." She pulled a small book seemingly out of nowhere, demonstrating it to him. "It's a manifest from the day the Galley left."

"Really?" His eyes widened, as he impatiently grabbed for it. "Let me see that!"

She laughed, pulling it out of his reach, pleased to get a reaction out of him. "And guess when it's scheduled to come back? Tomorrow..."

This were the best news Ezio has received since Eden left for Milan. Finally, after a year and half of waiting, the shop was coming home. Which meant...Borgia was in Venice, as well...

In the middle of those thoughts, he realized that when he reached for the manifest, his face came closely to Rosa's. For a moment, a thought flickered in his head - _it was much easier with Rosa..._

"Ezio!" He heard a familiar voice call him, and he whipped around, coming back to his senses. Leonardo was walking briskly towards them, patting himself on the pockets as if checking if everything was in place.

"Leonardo! When did you get back?"

"Just now. Can you walk with me? It's important," the man looked between the assassin and Rosa quickly. She laughed.

"Go on boys, have fun." With that, she slipped the manifest into Ezio's hand, and walked away in the other direction.

"What is it?" Ezio asked as he fell into step with Leonardo, "I sort of have to be somewhere-"

"This won't take long."

With a small sigh, he asked, "Did Eden get the codex pages to you?"

"She did - this is about them, actually. I was studying them, and I don't know why I never saw it before! But when put together, I realized the markings on the back clarify into words!"

"What?" the assassin was intrigued. He noticed the words before, when Mario was trying to figure out what the hell the vague outlines along the pieces back in Monteriggioni meant. But he never had the time to pay any close attention to them, instead focusing on Altair's musings.

"Here," Leonardo began. "They say _'The Prophet... will appear... hen the second piece... is brought to the floating city.'_"

Gears whirred inside Ezio's head, the pieces of the puzzle clicking into place. He heard of the Prophet before, from his uncle, a long time ago... "Prophet...?" What was the rest of that prophecy piece...? Slowly, with little tugs, it began to ring in ears. "_Only the prophet may open it...'Two pieces of Eden...'_" he muttered lowly under his breath.

"What are you saying?" Leonardo caught onto the words. "Ezio what is this?"

Ezio hesitated for only a moment. "We've known each for a long time, Leonardo. If I can't trust you...there's hardly anyone."

_Damn it, why does she always have to run away at the most unfortunate moments?_

"My Uncle Mario spoke of it, long ago. A prophecy hidden in the Codex...leading to an ancient vault that holds something..." He suddenly realized that he never found out exactly what was in the Vault. "...very powerful."

Leonardo breathed with excitement. "_Grandioso_...but, if you took these pages from the Barbarigo, then maybe they know about this Vault too. That's not good." There was a strange, almost false note in Leonardo's voice as he spoke, but Ezio did not focus on that. Realization of the facts finally hit him on the face, the puzzle suddenly became a whole picture.

"Wait! What if that's why they sent the ship to Cyprus? To find this Piece of Eden...and bring it back to Venezia?"

"When the second piece is brought to the floating city..." There was no doubt that Venice classified just as such.

"_The Prophet will appear…only the prophet can open the vault...'_ My God! When my uncle told me about the Codex, I was too young, too brash to imagine it was anything by an old man's fantasy!" Could that time really only be only a few years back? It didn't seem possible for everything to change so fast. But it had. "But now, I see...the killing of Mocenigo…even the plot against the Medici. My father and brothers...tt was all part of his plan. To find the Vault..."

The center piece of everything, the Grandmaster of the Templar order, the one who created the chaos in both Florence and Venice, and god knew how many other cities. The man who it always came back to... "The _Spaniard!_"

"Rodrigo Borgia," Leonardo nodded. Ezio didn't ask just how the man knew and connected the dots like that, as it was hardly important. Eden likely filled him in, anyway.

"The boat from Cyprus arrives this evening. I plan to be there to meet it."

"Good luck, my friend," Leonardo stopped for a moment to face the assassin. They arrived in front of the Palazzo Ducale without realizing it, and the guards were already eying them with some disapproval, but made no move for them. Suddenly, Leonardo slapped his forehead. "Oh! I almost forgot. Eden gave this to me to give to you." The artist reached into one of his countless pockets, extracting an envelope. Ezio took it from the man almost eagerly, though there was a low clunk in his stomach as his head dropped. The package meant that she was not going to be in Venice for some time still...

"Thank you," he muttered dully to his friend, and Leonardo looked at him sympathetically. "Is she still in Milan?"

"She stayed at my workshop with Adel for a few days, then caused quite a ruckus in the court and had to leave. I'm not sure as to where she is at the moment. She told me that you..." he suddenly cleared his throat, catching himself in the middle of the sentence. Ezio wrinkled his forehead as if from a bad toothache.

"Did she?"

"Yes. I'm curious, though, as to why you did it. Neither of you seem like the type to get married, considering your profession and such." Coming from anyone else, the phrase would have sounded mocking or rude. But Leonardo just glowed sincere curiosity and confusion. Ezio sighed, rubbing his eyelids forcefully.

"I'm an idiot, that's why."

"Well, that's just too self-critical."

"She doesn't seem to think so."

"Ezio, with these Pieces of Eden, the Vault, and Borgia - is it really the best time to start a family?"

Family. The word was almost foreign to Ezio, as his family was destroyed for several years now. Was it possible to even have a proper family in the middle of all of this? He grimaced. "When is a good time, considering they can be ruined at any moment?"

Leonardo caught onto the bitter notes, and finally backed off. "It's not my place. But don't worry too much, I'm sure you two will work things out."

And with that, he turned the corner, leaving Ezio to stare after him. After a moment, he looked back down to the letter in his hand. With a small sigh, he shoved it into his pocket, deciding he didn't want to open it just yet. Instead, he headed for the Arsenal. When that Galley came back, he would be there, prepared and ready to strike.

* * *

The operation was crucial - the best of the Brotherhood had gathered in Venice that day, half of them coming from Tuscany, the other already seated within it. Mario and Bartolomeo were on the ground, near the gondola cages, while La Volpe and Antonio were outside, blending with the crowds. The ladies, Paola and Teodora, were far too subtle for a mission like this that would likely end in bloodshed and fighting. Their areas of expertise were on a different level altogether. So for now, they simply stayed out of sight, ears to ground and gleaning any information they could from their unaware clients.After all, a team was only as good as their intel. And bad intel could get you killed in the space of a heartbeat.

I, on the other hand, was just itching to get into the action, despite the fact that my hand still hurt slightly.

I took up my post on one of the guard watchtowers overlooking the Arsenal as we waited. From that spot I could see everything happening in the fortress, as well as the incoming ships on the horizon. The atmosphere was tense - I could feel the others' impatience and eagerness. Mario kept jerking his head upwards to me, waiting for the signal that the Black Galley was coming in. The wait was almost unbearable; we knew that we had to act fast, before Borgia got his hands on the Apple and made off to Rome again.

The sun began to set, lazily lounging on the horizon, and the waves calmly splashed along the canals. Down bellow, people ran their errands, unaware that the entire Brotherhood of Assassins, as well as the Templar Order was holding their breath in anticipation. Unknowing that the outcome of today would decide a great many things. The idea was almost laughable to me. There we were, waiting impatiently for one of the oldest artifacts to come into Port. There was I, perched on the turret, straining my eyes in wait of the Black Galley. Somewhere, there was Rodrigo Borgia, likely sitting in some comfortable armchair, and sipping wine, completely sure of his upcoming victory...and not one of the normal citizens of the city felt the crackling tension in the air.

Perhaps it was better this way?

I was in the tower for at least an hour, somehow keeping myself from freezing to my spot. And just when I began to worry that something had gone wrong, I finally spotted the black ship in the distance. I let out a silent thanks to god, and held out the large, white feather over the edge, letting it fall down. The snow whiteness of it was outlined by the dark color of the walls, easily spotted but hardly suspicious. Immediatelym the tension in the air seemed to thicken further, nearly chocking.

It was time.

As I was overlooking the location, I suddenly noticed a blink of white on one of the rooftops. I recognized Ezio with a dropping feeling in my stomach, sitting on one of the high roofs in waiting. So Rosa gave him the manifest, after all...just as well, I knew that Mario was looking forward to see how his nephew improved. I can't say I was all that excited about the awkward silence and perhaps the yelling that would come when we were finally forced together, though.

But my job was done. The black ship was heading straight towards the massive gates of the Arsenal, no doubt carrying the artifact that both sides struggled so hard to keep from one another. Which meant that my help would be needed down below. I tore myself away from the teeth of the wall, faced towards Venice, and leaped down into the haystack down below me.

* * *

The ship came into port, and was immediately surrounded by guards with red crests. _Borgia's men_, Ezio thought to himself, lip curling with distaste, _Why am I not surprised?_ As the crew was unpacking, another man came down onto the dock carrying a small, plain, worn crate that wouldn't draw any sort of attention to it. The disguise would have likely fooled anyone else, as this was supposedly a trading ship that transported clutter no one cared about. But Ezio's intuition was hard to get around. He was certain that the Piece of Eden was in that box.

The man handed it to another, who wore a plain uniform as to not draw attention, and calmly returned to the other crew. But the soldier set off with the crate towards the Arsenal gates.

As Ezio was preparing to follow, though, he caught sight of someone observing the activity from the shadows of the nearby buildings. With a shock, he recognized the man, and the name was out of his mouth before he could really get a good look.

"Uncle Mario?"

He didn't have time to greet or ask his uncle anything, as another moment and he'd lose the carrier out of his sight. He wasn't even sure if it was really his Uncle. Besides, if it was, how did he get into Venice, and why at that precise moment? And if he was there, then maybe Eden was somewhere around, as well...?

He shook his head as he followed the Borgia transporter at a safe distance. He needed to focus - he knew from experience that distraction was never a good thing on missions. Everything could wait until later. Following that crate, however, was the most important thing.

The man with the crate broke into a run a few times, and circled around buildings, making Ezio worry that he had been discovered. But soon, he waved it off. It was simply a precaution. He persisted, following the man straight up until he entered a small courtyard with a solid stone wall surrounding him. Glancing up, Ezio saw it was heavily guarded by archers on the rooftops, and a few sergeants of the City Guard at street level. He bid his time. And soon, the man was joined by a Borgia captain.

The assassin pressed himself into the wall close to them, listening closely.

"The Master awaits. Repackage it with care, now!" As the sergeant said so, he left, leaving the carrier to do as told. They were doubling their security, but it was too late - Ezio knew exactly who to target. He slipped into the courtyard behind the man as he finished repackaging the artifact, and pressed his hand roughly to his mouth, his hidden blade extending into his throat. The assassin barely had one minute to drag the body out of sight and don his outer uniform. Then he turned to the box.

_This is the __Piece__ that everyone is so eager to get. This is what all of it was for?_ His curiosity got the better of him. Before shouldering the box, he carefully opened it, glancing inside. But unfortunately, the sergeant came back at exactly that moment, making the lid snap shut again.

"Get a move on! And look lively, this is probably the most important thing you'll do in your life! There can be no mistakes! _Capisci?_

"Yessir!" Ezio mimicked the guard, shouldering the box. He would play along for now. They, unknowingly, would lead them straight to their Master. He took his place in the center of his escort, and allowed them to shepherd him through the streets.

A few times, he risked glances around, and upwards, his Uncle still in the back of his mind. Once he attempted to feel through his surroundings with Eagle Vision, but found nothing. Be it Mario or Eden, they both knew how to hide themselves properly. But soon, the only thought he had was _Why were there. So. Many. People. With such loose hold on their stupid boxes? _

* * *

I observed Ezio's movements below with his escort, unsure of where it was all going.

"What is he doing? He has the Apple!" I whispered to La Volpe, who I got to know shortly before the mission began. In respect to his Venetian counterpart, the man was more...practical, definitely less direct, and preferred to continue robbing merchant houses to sitting behind a desk or running a palazzo. Not to mention his violet eyes were really awesome.

"He's playing it smart," he muttered in return, his eyes following the group. "Rodrigo Borgia _is_ in Venice, and he knows how to hide. Unless he thinks it's safe, it's like searching for a needle in a haystack."

"We have some experience with haystacks," I noted, but silently agreed with him as we continued to travel over the rooftops quietly. So Ezio wouldn't notice me, as I knew he had a particularly fine attachment to me, I cleared my mind of emotion and intention. That was what his intuition based on. And when there was nothing, like the random citizens, he could not sense me as an ally or otherwise. Keeping cover at the moment was crucial, even a twitch of his head could give either us or him away.

The group of guards he'd concealed himself within traveled through the city for a long time, trailing in the alleys and streets. But we made sure to keep them in sight. Mario would be coming straight from _L'Arsenale_, following the exact same Eagle Vision that Ezio had, Antonio was running a ways off over the rooftops, and Bartolomeo...well, the man had his ways, though really, I had no idea how the hell he managed to disappear like that. Our forces were gathered and ready. All that was left was the opponent...

The group surrounding Ezio stopped in the middle of a courtyard, and the sergeant knocked four times on the door sharply, and took a step back. After a few moments, I saw a familiar figure in a dark cloak slither out of the doorway. Everything was executed nearly perfectly, though I think they didn't give us enough credit if they thought that it was enough to lose us.

At the sight of Rodrigo, my eyes narrowed with predatory excitement. I was ready to attack right then and there, but Volpe once again held me back. I looked around at him, raising my eyebrows.

"Let's see what the little Eagle has learned," his mouth twitched into a smile. I blinked, but nodded, looking back to the courtyard. I had complete confidence in Ezio, but I really would have rather avoided unnecessary tests such as these.

* * *

Finally, his escort stopped walking. Ezio let out a quiet breath of relief. But then his heart thumped up to his throat - his vision was mostly obscured by the sergeant, but he still caught sight of the black and red robes of Rodrigo Borgia.

"Do you really have it? You were not followed?"

The voice hadn't changed one bit. Raspy, commanding, arrogant. Ezio's fingers clenched on the box he carried, itching to end the _bastardo's _wretched life. So close…he was _so close…_

"Everything went perfectly. We have followed your orders exactly as specified. The mission to Cyprus was more difficult that expected. There were-"

Ezio took that exact moment to act. The box slipped up to his forearms as he extended both of his hidden blades into the sergeant's back. The man let out a heavy grunt, clutched at his chest and fell, revealing the assassin to Rodrigo.

"Ezio. It's been some time." There didn't seem to be any sort of surprise on the man's face. He'd hardly make it this far if he didn't expect the boy to show up. The two remaining guards that flanked them drew out their weapons, charging at the unwelcome guest. Ezio dropped the box, slipping from underneath their swords, and extended his blades into both of their throats, not bothering to even flinch.

Now, he was left alone with the man that was responsible for his family's death.

"Rodrigo," Ezio said with barely contained rage, "So, where is he?"

"Hmm? Who?"

"Your Prophet! Doesn't look like anybody showed up!" he threw his arms up, gesturing to the courtyard around them, mocking. "How many people died for this? For what's in this box? And look! There is nobody here!"

If he was expecting anything, it was not the man's response. He chuckled, one of those contained, mocking laughs, as if he was talking to a little child. "You claim not to be a believer. And yet, here you are...don't you see him?" Borgia asked, and Ezio's eyes widened slightly under the helmet. "The Prophet is already here..._I_ am the Prophet!" The glint of madness in the man's eyes almost made Ezio recoil as he drew his sword and shifted into a threatening stance. "Now give me the Apple, boy!"

After years of working up to this moment, after everyone that was killed, after every guard and every target Ezio slain in revenge - Borgia was expecting him to just hand over the artifact that could potentially destroy the minds of innocent people and make them into mindless slaves?

Who did this _figglio di puttana _think he was? Like hell, as though Ezio would be stupid enough to do that.

"Come and take it from me," he growled, shoving the box aside with his foot. His own blade sliding out of its sheath, it was just in time to block the incoming attack and quickstep away. Borgia, despite his apparent age, was quick and powerful - Ezio could barely strike his own blows, countering the other's attacks as much as he could. His entire body was tensed, waiting to deliver that final blow, end it all there and now. But the Spaniard never gave him a chance.

_Bastardo!_

"Is this all you have? Where's the rest of your people?" he taunted. Ezio furrowed his eyebrows further, doing a mental count. Eden, for all the Templars knew, was dead. The only other assassin he could think of was Mario, but that was only one man...

"What people?"

That brought a look of surprise on Borgia's face. "You really have no idea, do you? Guards!" he snarled.

The call was heard by his men that patrolled around the courtyard, who surprisingly didn't come running at the first hint of a battle. But given the direct order, they ran to them, weapons drawn. Rodrigo didn't back away, either. A chill ran down Ezio's spine as he began to worry slightly.

But before even one of them could raise their blades, a throwing knife came out of nowhere, falling one of the guards. From somewhere there as well, Mario Auditore stepped out.

"Uncle?" Ezio asked with shock, nearly missing a strike, and dodging at the last moment.

The man chuckled loudly. "Don't worry, _nipote,_ you are not alone!"

As he charged into battle, Ezio, who was still in slight shock, was knocked off his feet by blow. As he was preparing to retaliate, a shadow appeared behind the guard's shoulder, driving a dagger between his shoulder blades.

"Volpe? What are you doing here?" The young assassin was becoming more and more confused.

The Fox pulled Ezio up to his feet quickly. "I could very well ask you the same thing!"

An arrow whistled past them, but it was not an unfriendly one for once, as if made another of Borgia's men fall to the ground. La Volpe ran off, while two more men showed up beside Ezio.

"Save your questions, brother! Don't let Borgia leave with that box!" Antonio shouted quickly as Bartolomeo began to swing Bianca with the very threatening cry of _"Avanti!"_

_What is going on here?_

"Evening, boys. Sorry to put a damper on your day."

The voice was followed by two short screams, and female laughter that sent a violent shock through Ezio.

_Eden._

As Ezio was staring in shock, the battle unfolded. The unexpected allies that came to his rescue looked as if they were having the time of their lives, laughing, trading comments with each other, and taunting the enemy. Rodrigo, on the other hand, was born humorless, shouting some nonsense about what was written, and how they couldn't stop him.

After a moment, it finally clicked in Ezio's brain, and he couldn't help a small smile as he charged right back into battle.

"Look, my friends! Our Ezio has become quite a _guerriero_!"

"Bartolomeo, start counting! I'm already on three!"

"Bring it, _signorina!_"

"_A cuccia, tu!_ You mess with the Fox, you get the sword!"

"What fun! We should do this more often!"

"Isn't this magnificent, Ezio? All of us smashing these Templar heads together!"

"Pff, you men. So crude."

"You're the one cutting them to pieces!"

"Impressive, _nipote_! You've improved since the last time we fought together!"

All of them were almost effortlessly cutting down the enemy, until only one man opposed- Borgia. He was surrounded, unable to even lift his defenses long enough to strike. But he was getting fatigued, his movements slowly becoming more sluggish.

"Go on, Ezio! Finish it!" Mario finally called, and all of them, as if on cue, stepped away.

Rodrigo was panting hard, worn and tired. Ezio smiled almost maliciously, and raised his blade. "This is for my father, you-"

But the move was foiled by the swift kick in the abdomen that knocked the assassin off his feet again. As he tried to regain the sense of which way was up and down again, the man turned and ran. Meanwhile, more people joined them in the courtyard.

"Paola?" Ezio nearly gasped. He remembered the woman from so long ago, the one that selflessly offered shelter to his family when they were betrayed, and at their most vulnerable. The one that helped him survive his very first assassination. She had not changed much in the last few years, he realized as she smiled down on him, and helped him to his feet.

"He's gone. But we have what we came for," She reassured him, but he shook his head.

"No! I need to go after him!"

"Do you really, now?" Sister Teodora, the nun that ran the brothel in Venice, spoke softly. She appeared behind him as if out of thin air. "Or are you here for another reason, my son?"

"Teodora? What-? What are you all doing here?" he finally asked, combing through the faces of his allies.

"Perhaps the same thing you are, Ezio," an almost amused voice said as he stepped out from behind the familiar faces. The man that spoke was wholly unfamiliar to Ezio. He was quite certain he has never seen him in his entire life, but he didn't bother asking how he knew him. "Hoping to see the Prophet appear?"

This Prophet again. Ezio was beginning to grow irritated. "I came here to kill the Spaniard! I couldn't care less about your prophet. He never showed up!"

"Don't yell so much, Ezio. You'll get wrinkles," Eden smiled as she pulled down her dark hood from her head.

His breath caught in his throat for one moment, but then he stared at the stranger again, who said, "No? But you did show up."

"What-?"

"A prophet's arrival was foretold... And, unbeknown to us, here you are. Perhaps all along, you were the one we sought."

"_Cosa_- Who are you?"

"Niccolo di Bernardo dei Machiavelli. I am an Assassin, trained in the ancient ways to safeguard mankind's evolution. Just like you. And each one of us here."

"You are all assassins-? Paola? Volpe?" He took a hesitant step back. What was this-?

"It's true, _nipote_. We have all been guiding you, for years, teaching you the skills you would need to join our ranks. I think it's time."

"We have our prize, but there is much to be done. Come meet us here, at sunset." Antonio handed him a map of Venice that had one point circled. With smiles and goodbyes, the entire group moved away, all but dissolving into the shadows, leaving just as fast as they came.

Only Eden stayed behind.

"Is that why you went to Milan?" he asked quietly, still trying to wrap his head around everything. She nodded, pulling off the glove on her left hand, and demonstrating the angry red mark on her ring finger. He blinked- he seen similar marking on his Uncle's hand, as well as Antonio's. And now, thinking back, Paola's as well. He was rendered speechless; for two weeks, he believed that she went to Milan as a convenient chance to get away from him, when really, she was doing something completely unrelated. He thought back to what Leonardo said about her causing a ruckus.

"Sorry about that," she looked genuinely guilty, "I didn't mean to leave you hanging."

"Eden!" Mario called. Her head turned slightly in the direction of the voice. "Come along, we have much to do. There will be time for you to talk later."

"I have to go. Don't forget - sunset." She smiled with the corner of her lips, and turned away, running after the rest of the Assassins. For a moment, he was tempted to stop her, but thought better of it. They had to talk, but it could wait until after he was no longer confused over this new found information, nor frustrated over the fact that Rodrigo got away.

And also, there was a sense of something almost like betrayal. In all the years, not one of them revealed to him that the Order lived on, that he was not the only one. Not even Eden let him know that he was not alone in it.

But then Ezio realized…what would have changed, had he known?

* * *

The fire crackled, devouring the wood and heating the metal, the light contrasting with the falling darkness outside of the tower. Venice was beautiful as ever, peaceful and quiet, as it had been for more than a year now.

Mario stood with his hands clenched behind his back in front of the fire. The others stood lining the wall, Eden in between Volpe and Teodora, watching silently. Her ceremony was not that long ago, and the event was a lot easier to watch as a witness, rather than the initiate. When Ezio tried to catch her eye, she met it easily, and offered comfort with a small smile and a wink. He realized that she was politely pretending that the incident didn't happen. At the very least, then, he was happy they were back to normal. Even if it would only last until they were alone again.

Mario began to speak, winding a phrase in Arabic that Ezio knew very loosely the meaning of. "These are the words spoken by our ancestors that lay at the heart of our Creed."

Niccolo began a slow pace. "Where other men blindly follow the truth, remember..."

"Nothing is true," Ezio bowed his head slightly.

"Where other men a limited, by either morality or law, remember..."

"Everything is permitted."

"We work in the dark to serve the light. We are Assassins."

"Nothing is true. Everything is permitted." All around him, his brothers and sisters chanted once, as if in agreement.

"It is time, Ezio," Mario called as there was a small hiss from the fire, signaling that the metal was red. Ezio took a step forward. "In the modern age, we are not so literal as our ancestors. But our seal is no less permanent." Unwillingly, Ezio thought back to when Leonardo threatened to cut off his ring finger to suit the blade, and had struggle slightly to keep a frown off his face. "Are you ready to join us?"

He didn't even hesitate. "I am."

Antonio lifted the hot seal from the fire. "This only hurts for a little while, brother. Like so many other things." Ezio took a short breath, and held out his hand. The pain poured through his mind like hot oil, but he clenched his teeth against it, hissing slightly. But soon it cooled, and on his finger was left the Assassin seal, permanently embedded into his skin.

"_Benvenuto_, Ezio. You are one of us now." Niccolo briefly congratulated him. "Now, come! We have much to do." They continued to say that, though Ezio had very little idea of what their plans were. But for now, he decided to just go with the flow.

He watched as everyone present climbed onto the ledge of the tower, and executed the familiar Leap of Faith that his brother once taught him. After the last of them disappeared, Eden took a step to it, but Ezio grabbed for her elbow just in time.

"What are you-"

"We have to talk," Ezio dropped. "We still have a minute."

"How about instead I push you off the tower? That will take even less." She was smiling for some reason.

"Can you be serious for one moment?"

"I _am_ serious. Ezio, they are waiting," she nodded to the ground below.

"Why didn't you tell me about any of this?" he snapped, growing more and more irritated with her attitude. She was acting as if nothing special happened in the past few weeks.

"Because Mario told me not to. I don't get why he didn't just tell you everything in the beginning, but what's done is done. You're officially one of us now." She reached up to kiss his lips briefly, knowing that that was enough to make him forget what the hell he was just talking about. "I'm proud of you." She smiled as she slid her hand out of his. Pulling down her hood, she perched onto the ledge before throwing her arms out in the dive. His breath caught, watching her as she reveled in the wind for a moment before falling to the ground after the others. Ezio hesitated for one moment, letting her reach the bottom, before following suit.

_That woman will drive me insane.

* * *

_

The Apple was nothing like what I was expecting. If anything, I thought it would either be a golden statue or an actual apple. Hell, even an apple core with a note from Borgia about how we suck would be more likely than what I was seeing.

It was round and completely smooth. A golden color that did not shine like regular gold did, but had a glowing pattern enveloping it, all coming to a circle on the side. Like some sort of science fiction technology. Reminded me slightly of the Death Star in Star Wars, as well, but that's besides the point.

"Absolutely fascinating," Leonardo continued to mutter as he looked at the object from all sides. I took the spot opposite of him, curious as hell as to what that thing was and how it worked.

"It's like something from a very distant future," I agreed.

"The material it's made of shouldn't logically even exist...and yet I think it's some sort of ancient device."

"But how...?" Niccolo questioned, surprising Eden. Usually, the politician was the one coming up with the complex answers.

"The codex makes a reference to it," Mario finally spoke up. He was standing slightly away from the table, along with the Niccolo, though I couldn't decide if it was out of fear or just letting Leonardo examine it. I didn't care much either way, but the globe drew my eyes to it persistently, making me want to figure out how the hell it worked. It was a strange feeling, being near it, as if it was attempting to probe my mind. And I think everyone around felt the same. "It calls it a piece of Eden," Mario continued, his voice snapping my mind back to present, and away from the apparent piece.

"The Spaniard called it the Apple," Ezio thoughtfully said.

"As in, the Apple from the tree of knowledge?" Leonardo raised an eyebrow curiously. I let out a quiet, skeptical snort. "The one Eve gave to Adam?"

"I doubt that's the actual story behind it," I noted. "I think that the Templars just gave it that name to make it a religious object."

"It would be an excellent tactic to convince the masses of its supposed powers," Machiavelli nodded in agreement, thoughtfully stroking his chin. "Control is what they seek, after all.

"Quite possible, but that doesn't matter," Leonardo replied. "I'm sorry, but I can explain this. No more than I can explain why the Earth goes around the sun."

"You mean, the sun around the Earth?" Mario corrected him, and then glanced at me questioningly. I just shrugged, containing my smile. Meanwhile, Leonardo decided to finally move in for a closer inspection. But as soon as he touched the globe, it exploded with dizzying, golden light. Blinded, I could do nothing but jerk away, instinctually covering my eyes with my hands. A low, almost primal hum filled my ears, deafening me to everything else.

When I opened my eyes again, whether a few seconds or hours has passed, I could not tell. Time seemed stop, though I was frozen to my spot, looking around with awe. Shimmering, golden projections of words, codes, designs, sketches, symbols…they all crowded the room as if ghosts. Leonardo and Ezio seemed to be just as amazed, while Mario rubbed his eyes feverishly, still blinded, Niccolo shook his head, as though trying get back to his senses. Airplanes, tanks, scripture, computer code, DNA sequences - all of it was flashing through the air, almost too quickly to see.

"Holograms?" I mumbled, "How the hell-"

"Eden, what is this?" Leonardo asked me.

"Projections...these…these are things that shouldn't exist yet!" I stammered with awe, "It wasn't even thought of for hundreds of years…how did this stuff get…_inside_ the Apple...?" I shifted my eyes to the artifact as Ezio reached out without caution and took it, closing a hand over it. Immediately, the projections stopped, and it became dark again. Well, save along the seams of it, which glowed with dim, golden light. There were no buttons on it, nothing that would give away how it worked. But I had a fairly good idea from the Codex pages. "Altair was right," I breathed, "It's like a catalog."

"This is an extremely dangerous toy," Leonardo said, eyes wide with wonder. "If it falls into the wrong hands..."

"Hopefully, then, ours are the right hands," Ezio replied, holding it out to me. I found myself drawn in, my hand moving almost before I could even think about it (thankfully, it didn't go off again.). The metal was strangely warm, I realized, shifting my eyebrows together in concentration. Almost as if it was…_alive. _I wasn't sure if it was truly magical or perhaps simply a very clever device, but it was true what Leonardo had said- it was definitely not of this world.

Noticing that everyone present was watching us and the Apple, I took a hesitant step away. As Ezio took it for safe keeping, though, for some reason, I felt reluctance. My curiosity was not satisfied - if this was one of the pieces that sent me back in time, then I craved to find out what else it could do. Or, who it could bring here...

"Ezio, you will need to keep the artifact safe," Niccolo quickly instructed, "No doubt Borgia will attempt to recapture it from us."

"What would you suggest?"

"The town of Forli is a well defended fortress with turrets. It is run by one of our allies, Caterina Sforza."

I twitched slightly, my hands suddenly gripping the edges of the table a little too hard. "I'll come with you," I spoke fast, interrupting whatever Ezio opened his mouth to say. He glanced at me with some confusion, and then an amused gleam in his eyes. Leonardo seemed to have concealed a laugh, already shifting through several books on his shelves in search of something. Machiavelli nodded.

"So be it. Make way in a few days, but make sure to do so quietly."


	34. Chapter 33

"Eden."

"Yes?" I replied absently.

"That can't be healthy."

I just sighed.

"I'm serious."

"Ezio, I want to know what the hell this thing is."

"I know," he leaned his back onto the desk, his arms tightly crossed. "I'm curious too, yet I don't spend _hours_ in front of it."

"Would you calm down?" I quietly ordered, still concentrating on the Apple in my hands, not even bothering to glance up. The warm glow of the metal demanded my attention completely, making it difficult to really even know where I was. But it just felt as if I was about to finally understand, have it all laid out in front of me, my every question answered... "And I'm not obsessed."

"You've been completely ignoring me for the entire day. I think that's a sure sign that you're obsessed." I almost wanted to smile at his pout.

"You give yourself too much credit."

"That hurts."

"Cry me a river."

"Maybe I will."

"You do that."

A full minute of silence passed.

"Alright, that's it!"

With a flashing movement, the artifact was gone from my hands, and I jumped to my feet, nearly throwing the chair to the floor. "Ezio, what the hell?" I growled. Somewhere in the back of my muddled, unfocused mind, I was worried about my nearly hysterical reaction. But the images within the Apple seemed to push that all away.

"Do you seriously not see what's going on?" he asked, the worry creeping into his voice. The Apple grasped firmly in his hands, he moved it further away from me. I spread my arms in a frustrated shrug of confusion. "This Piece is used to control people's minds, Eden. It's not something that should be looked upon, even lightly."

"What the hell are you talking about? I'm in perfect control here!" I nearly snarled, though I was surprised at myself - why was I reacting this strongly? After all, it was just a device. A device that could potentially tell me everything I wanted to know. And the fact that Ezio was trying to keep it away from me suddenly seemed like a personal offense.

"Oh really?" He raised a skeptical eyebrow, and hid the Apple behind his back, away from my sight.

"What are you - Ooohh." My head swam for some reason, and the entire room seemed to shift. I felt a strange weight removed from me, as if some foreign pressure I didn't even realize was there suddenly disappeared.

_"Whoah."_

"Hey, are you alright?" his voice became concerned as he crossed the room towards me again. My hand found the table for support.

"What on Earth-?" I shook my head, trying to clear the remains of the lifting fog. Lifing my hand up to his chest and blinking rapidly, I was grateful to find his sturdy support. "I…I need a moment."

"I realize."

As he was about to bring the Apple back into my sight to set it down onto the table, however, I nearly shouted, "Keep that thing away from me!" His eyes widened in surprise, but he complied. My mind finally returned to its proper state, no longer trained on the presence of the artifact, and I became more aware of my surroundings. We were in our room in the Palazzo della Seta. But I didn't even remember coming inside, like I didn't remember watching night falling outside already. A candle that I definitely did not register before stood on the desk, its distant glow even and nearly unmoving.

I felt strange. As if…I lost the entire day floating around the Piece of Eden, looking for something inside of it. It was like I'd spend all day walking along shelves and shelves of material, looking for the right book, which remained constantly out of reach.

"How come you aren't affected by it?" I finally asked, still rubbing my forehead.

He seemed to think about it for a moment. "I really have no idea. But there's got to be a reason why you were so drawn by it. What were you looking for?"

"Just...answers." I recalled it all; the hours that I spent with the Apple now seemed as if something from a dream. The whispers coming from it first made me ask Ezio if I could see it, voices that sounded familiar, and yet for some reason only heard by me. When the artifact was in my hands, the voices grew louder, but were too jumbled for me to make anything out. I did, however, catch the voices of my family, Jake, Larry, Ezio, the Assassins, Templars, and strangely, guards and merchants I heard on the streets...as if it was bringing forth my memory. Like an archive, containing every single moment of the life that would not be created for another five hundred years...

"To...?

"Urg," I made a little noise, sitting down to the bed. "Alright, you know how we think that one of these Pieces made me go back in time?" He nodded slowly. "Well, if they can do that, there must be so many more things they can do! I'm not interested the whole control thing, as that's for Templars. But there's just..." I trailed off with uncertainly.

"You think it could make your life easier somehow?" he asked, raising his eyebrows.

"Well, it just sounds stupid when you say it like that, but in essence, yes."

"So you aren't thinking about your family now, are you?"

_And we roll down to this. Damn him._

I stayed silent, but the slightly guilty look on my face must have given me away. He sighed, and moved over to the bed as well, reaching for the casing he found for the Apple, and tucking it away. Then, he sat down beside me. "Eden, you of all people should know that the dead have to stay that way, even when it doesn't seem fair."

"I know," I pulled my legs up to myself, hugging them. "And I don't think it's possible to bring back the dead, artifact or no. It's like I said, I want answers. And I suddenly feel as if I have almost none…it feels like I know nothing of how anything went down."

After a moment, something seemed to click inside his head. "Your father?"

"Not just him. Everything that led up to it, and everything in between. I just wish I knew what I missed. Don't you…aren't you even a little curious of what your father really did all those times he left your house?"

By the way he was suddenly rendered speechless, I realized I'd asked the right question. Understanding and empathy appeared on his face.

"What happened to you, anyway?" I looked over him, suddenly realizing that there was some blood on his neck and cheek, trailing down underneath his collar. He was fully equipped, signaling that he just came around from his run over the rooftops.

"Um, roof guards." he rolled his eyes.

I stared at Ezio with disbelief, and soon, I was stifling hysterical laughter.

"How the hell is it that you can't walk down a freaking street without getting into a fight?" I honestly tried to sound stern, but it just came out in suppressed giggles and breaths.

"Now is really not the time for-" he groaned, glaring at me.

"No, no, now is exactly the time for this. Strip, and listen to my lecture until your ears begin to bleed." I pointed to the bed while I retrieved my bag from under it. "You should have told me in the first place. Cuts could get infected, and we need you in a fit shape."

"Well, I _was _trying to get your attention since I came in, but..." he noted, and I felt a pang of guilt.

"You could at least try not to draw attention to yourself, you know," I replied somewhat defensively.

"Stupid archers," he grumbled, "Any time I'm farther than a roof away from them, they're pretty confident that they can throw me down to hang with the rabble where I apparently belong. But when I get near them, suddenly the need for bloodshed becomes all the more necessary."

"You are such an idiot," I sighed. He obeyed me, undoing his belt, then armor, and then shrugging out of his robes and doublet. His tunic and undertunic went after that, swiftly pulled over his head. I already got the pitcher of water from the window sill, and without hesitation began to wipe the blood off his collar bone, chest and back. He flinched a little at the contact of cold water, but otherwise stayed immobile. "Besides, I'm pretty sure I'd be scared too. It's the middle of the night, I'm all alone on the roof, and then, BAM! Some creepy guy comes out of nowhere. And of course, when I try to scream, he jams a blade right into my throat. Geez, you could be a bit more sensitive than that, Ezio."

"Since when do you have such understanding of city guards?"

"Hmm, good point. Never mind then, but you're still an idiot." He just sighed. When I didn't get a response, I continued to dress his shallow wounds that were apparently given to him by a very stab-happy roof guard. "You also should have taken that thing away from me earlier. It can probably heal you or something."

"It's safer here for now, while I was out in the open. Besides, I don't want to rely on a treacherous artifact."

"Hey, don't blame the artifact!" I pinched his arm, causing him to let out an "_Ouch!"_ in protest. I wasn't sure why I was defending the Apple, but somehow, it just didn't seem quite right. Templars used it for control because they chose to. Assassins kept it safe, mostly, perhaps using it only when necessary, again, because they chose to. It drew me in using my craving for information, unraveling of the mystery that surrounded everything.

"It's just a device," I continued, "It's only as treacherous as the people who hold it. And if I were you, I'd learn to use it, considering it doesn't have such a strong effect on you. You never know when you might need some of this weird mystical defense."

"That sounded a little too wise for you," he mocked, for which he received another pinch.

"Hey, I can be wise. Do you want me to start spewing random nonsense from philosophical passages? 'Cause I can do that-"

"I think I can live without it," he laughed, and I smiled in response. I finished with the cuts, and walked over to the window, opening the frame. The cold breeze entered the room as I squeezed as much blood and water from the cloth as I could outside.

"But I think I sort of figured certain things out. About the Apple, I mean," I stated thoughtfully, chewing on my lip. "It's like...someone created it for the sole reason of control. I don't know who would get the idea, or have this type of material, or how they even made it. But it sort of lures people in with the knowledge it has. Like scholars would be drawn to a famous library, you know?"

"Not all of us are scholars," he pointed out.

"That the thing, though. It gives you what you're looking for. Maybe gives you an...illusion of what you want? I'm not really sure, it's hard to describe."

"Well, now we know where the Creed stemmed for. It's like a principle, to dispel the illusions."

"But you and your Uncle seem a lot...better at controlling it. He was a bit shocked when the little gold holograms shot out, but after a few seconds, he seemed completely normal."

"Maybe it's something in the blood? I mean, he also has Eagle Vision. And Federico knew how to scale the walls and run over the rooftops like nothing I'd even seen." That he was able to mention his older brother without flinching made me give an inward sigh of relief. Though the scars would always be there, they were healing at least. "Even Claudia seems to have a rather astounding sense of balance," he thoughtfully said, "And she's uncommonly fast when training with the mercenaries in the practice ring, back in Monteriggioni."

"You let her do that?" I said with genuine surprise. While I had no doubts that the girl was more than capable, but as a noble woman, she hardly seemed like the type to throw fists around. Then again, looks can be deceiving- I still remembered the little lecture she gave me about what would happen if I ever hurt her brother. I was actually frightened for a moment...

"Why not?" he shrugged. "I can't keep her holed up in the villa like some prisoner. And it lets her get some of her aggression out, which is a good thing…anyway none of that is hardly something you'd call normal."

"But, I have it too, remember? I mean, it's a bit different, but in essence, it's uncannily similar. Maybe it's just your line?" I lingered by the window for a long time, though the rag was almost completely dry. It'd been a while since I'd seen Venice at night, considering my trip to Milan and all the stuff that went down with Borgia. It was utterly stunning, taking my breath away, as though I was seeing it all over again for the very first time.

I'd miss Venezia once we left for Forli, I realized. It was only a matter of hours before the Templars regrouped and sent someone after us. I felt as though we were not out of the hot water just yet. There was little time to waste now, and as soon as the transport was secured, we'd depart. Which meant we were leaving in the morning. And then...frankly, I was not sure what came next.

"So, speaking of answers…" Ezio's voice interrupted my thoughts.

I dropped the cloth out of the window from shock. Swearing, I watched it hurtle to the ground like a heavy stone, before it landed with a loud splat over the fence that bordered the palace. Meanwhile, Ezio continued.

"You haven't given me one yet."

I slowly turned around, filling up with dread. I did not need to ask him again to understand what he meant. He was pulling on his white undertunic, watching me intently.

"Why, Ezio, I think it's a great idea!" I plastered an overly-sweet smile, making my voice all high pitched and bizarrely cheerful. "We should, like, totally get married! And then I'll sit at home, burning your meals and likely ripping the laundry, wishing that I could have children! Because, see, that scenario would just make our lives just _perfect_." He was definitely not expecting that mood swing. I began pacing, throwing my arms around myself in frustration. "And maybe you can retire, and bring home dinner guests, too! And our little non-existent son can become the next assassin in your line! Now, wouldn't that just be freaking _wonderful?_"

"Eden, there was no need to do that," he raised his eyebrows, his voice cool, though it wasn't hard to miss the steel beneath it. With regret, I realized that I hurt him in my little tirade. But I continued anyway, my usual method of plowing onward, despite the blaring warning signs.

"No, Ezio, you don't seem to really get it. I am not a woman anyone in their sane mind would marry. Besides the fact is, I can't cook for crap, I prefer a knife to a fan and my uniform to a dress, and I'm barren. Instead of a ring I have the Assassin's seal on my finger. I am in no way willing to sit somewhere in safety with my hands folded, waiting for you to come back from some mission, not knowing whether or not you'll even return."

"I never said-"

"Because isn't that what marriage is?" I interrupted, "Because ever since my first kill, I didn't want any part-!"

"Eden, stop!" he finally jumped to his feet, his hands in the air as I stuttered on the last word. I crossed my arms, watching him. For some reason, hurt was replaced by understanding, as if he was onto something. "I think I know what the problem is."

"Good. Considering I just laid it right out in front of you, I'd be a little worried if you didn't!"

"No, I meant-" he took a deep breath, "It's because of your parents, isn't it?"

"-how on Earth did you get _there_? This is about us and your mental problems…my parents have nothing to do with-"

"But they do," he pressed. "I had some time to think while you were in Milan, you know-"

"Good on you."

"Stop interrupting!" he finally snapped, loosing patience. Though I think he deserved a round of applause at holding it together this far, considering I'd just been openly mocking his proposal since the beginning. But guilt was just not a strong enough emotion for me to comply with something I thought was a stupid idea. "Just. Listen," he nearly ordered.

I crossed my arms, and nodded tightly. He waited for a few moments, before starting to speak again.

"I realize that with the past you have, it's only natural that you'd still dwell on it like this." I was about to say that I was not dwelling on anything and that this was my choice only. But he stopped me with a glare, before continuing. "And I think you're right, you do need a few answers." I narrowed my eyes in confusion_._

_What?_

"Because you obviously haven't moved on from anything that happened to you."

"So what do you propose?" I forced a laugh, "Go through my memories? See what I missed? Maybe figure out how my father died, and get vengeance? Or perhaps you'd arrange a visit to my dead parents, give us some time to talk things out? Ezio, I don't see how or what this would accomplish. My family doesn't exist anymore, there's nothing that can be done about it. And I still don't see the connection between you asking me to marry you and my parents."

"These things don't go away, Eden." He spoke as if he knew what he was talking about.

"There's nothing that can be fixed." I snapped. "It's like you said, the dead were meant to die."

"But closure isn't a bad thing, is it? Maybe there _was _something you missed, maybe that's why you're so confused now! Wouldn't you want a chance to go back and see?"

"Again, what you're talking about is im-"

I stopped dead once I noticed the fact that the Apple was shining brightly through its casing, illuminating the walls and Ezio's stern expression. But once he realized what I was staring at, he looked at the artifact with surprise.

"Uh- alright, whatever the hell you're doing, please stop," my voice changed dramatically, suddenly small and slightly scared, as if I was standing in a room with a ticking bomb.

"I'm not doing that- I don't think..."

"You don't _think_? Ezio, I swear the god, don't you dare-"

But, of course, when does anyone listen to me?

* * *

"I'm going to kill you!" I growled, charging at him with force. He was distracted, looking around in stunned silence at the small place that I spent the majority of my life in. His absolute shock at the completely foreign surroundings allowed me to easily tackle him to the ground. He yelped, catching my wrists in mid-motion as I tried to punch him. "What in the heavens did you just _do?"_ I nearly screamed

"I am trying to help," he snapped - my knee was in a place that the slightest movement was enough to make him nervous. "You strange woman, stop attacking me!"

"No! Do you realize that we could get stuck here? We have to go back, _now!_ Whatever it is you did with that stupid Apple, undo it this freaking second!"

"I can't!"

He finally had enough of my struggle. Snapping his legs around mine, before I could blink, he moved like lightning, shifting his weight and snapping me over to my back. Before I could let out a gasp of retort, he had me properly pinned down, stopping my attempts to claw at his face. For a split second, it proved utterly frightening. The speed and ease with which he'd incapacitated me was like nothing I'd ever witnessed from him. Reinforcing the fact that he was indeed a rather deadly assassin, by inheritance and skill, it took me a few seconds to speedily brush off my fear.

I immediately froze, though for an entirely different reason, for he stammered, "I don't have the Apple!"

"What did you even do?"

"I- I was just thinking how I wanted to help you move on. I didn't know the artifact would take it so literally!"

"What came over you? I don't need help moving on because there's nothing to move on from!" My voice was desperate and strained, my heartbeat roaring in my ears. And none of it was helped along by the fact that he still had my arms securely pinned on either side of my head. "What the hell are we supposed to do now?"

"I'm not sure."

We'd just got zapped to god knew where, and this- this- this_ assassin _is nonchalantly telling me "I'm not sure?"

"You jackass," I whispered, stunned. "Ezio, I don't want to be here. What if I can't figure it out? What if there is nothing to figure out at all? I've been trying to get something out of that artifact for hours!"

"Would you just calm down?" he breathed, "Everything will be alright."

"It was going just fine until you decided to play therapist!"

"_Che cosa?_ What's a therapist?" he arched a confused brow.

"See?" I snorted, "You don't even belong in my time! I can barely get you to-"

"Answer the question, Eden," he rolled his eyes.

"It's…it's someone who listens to your problems…they study the mind and how it works, and you pay them to deal with your insanity," I snapped. "So basically, if we don't get out of here, I'm going to need_ a lot _of expensive therapy! And it's all your fault!"

"Listen your problems?" he repeated. I tried to wrench my wrists out of his hands. But apparently, despite being distracted, he maintained a firm grip on them. Great, out of all the assassins in the world, I had to be stuck with the best of the best…"I see," he slowly said. "Oh, so your nightmares have stopped, then?"

"...yes."

"Liar," he rolled his eyes. Then he sighed. "Come now, it's like you said, the Apple gives you exactly what you want. This is possibly just another illusion. So all we need to do is figure out a way to break it or get through it." Seeing that I would not fight any more, he pulled me up along with him as he stood, taking a swift step away just in case I decided to attack him again. "Can you trust me?"

I humphed. "After this little stunt? Hardly!"

I could hear... cars. The sounds of traffic that I haven't heard for years, and yet still easily recognized. Just as I recognized where we were. It was a small living room with slightly battered furniture, thick curtains that were shut over the window, patterned yellow wallpaper and carpet...this was my old apartment. In New York.

In the future.

"Where are we?" Ezio asked, looking around as well, but I wasn't listening anymore. I began to walk through the apartment, easily side stepping all the scattered magazines, books, dolls and clothing, making my way to the familiar door. Down the short corridor on the right, passing under the many pictures and children drawings, towards the transparent door where I could see light...

And I froze under the frame, studying the scene, almost unwilling to believe it.

"How was work today?" A happy, cheerful, female voice sounded. The woman put a bowl down in between the man and two young girls that were sitting on ether side. The kitchen was very small, with the table and fridge taking up most of the space. One large window was overlooking the streets, a single tree growing outside.

"Oh, it was alright. One of our clients declined our offer, but we insisted," the man said, forking his potatoes and popping them into his mouth. He had dark hair and green eyes with laugh lines in the corners. One of the girls whispered something to the other, and they both giggled lowly, as the younger one blushed and pushed the older one gently. They were as different as you could get, while still being sisters. One had short, gently waving chestnut hair, and wore bright colors and a skirt, while the older one wore a simple t-shirt with jeans. Her hair was almost black, pulled back into a tight, but slightly ruffled braid, reaching down a lot lower.

"What is it?" the man asked, raising his eyebrows at the girls.

"Eve was just _so _worried about your business meeting today," the older one proclaimed, stifling laughter. "Really, it has nothing to do with that boy in the next building." Eve nearly pushed the laughing girl off her chair, her cheeks the color of tomatoes. The parents laughed quietly.

A charming visage of a perfect family.

"Is that-" Ezio's voice hovered over my ear. I pushed Ezio back down the corridor, and dragged him out of the front door, opening and closing it as quietly as possible.

"Oh my god, oh my god, oh my god, this can't be happening! Why here?...It's just-" I finally began to mutter, breaking out of my silence, fingers flexing with disbelief as I nearly rocked back and forth on my heels.

"Shh, calm down," he whispered soothingly. I wanted to sit down, though the landing of the building was hardly the best place for that. "Who was that?"

"That was my family – t-this is my…house," I explained breathlessly. "It's New York..."

"Wait-" realization finally dawned on his face. "The girls in there-"

"That was Eve and me - I- I don't remember this-" I gripped my head. "I was young..."

"_Va bene!_ Eden! Calm down! Take a deep breath," he gripped my shoulders gently, his attitude a big change from the cool, hurt voice he used while I was shouting at him.

"Right. Calm." I tried to get my hyperventilation under control long enough to actually think. "What are we going to-"

The scene around us changed before I could finish, though. We were back in the apartment, I noted, though the transition was almost unnoticeable. My dad was kneeling beside the bed the young Eden, carefully inking the design into the skin of my arm.

"Why do I need it?" the little girl asked. Her voice was clear and trusting, inquisitive and bright with wonder as she watched him work. That was the sing-song voice I had lost a long time ago, the one that my mother missed so much. Her little nose wrinkled at the sting, but didn't protest.

"Because it's cool?" he laughed as I gave him a skeptical glare. "Don't worry, I won't spell anything embarrassing out on you," I giggled softly, allowing him to continue. It was so strange watching from the outside when I didn't even remember when this happened. I noticed Eve peeking inside the room a few times with curiosity, but she didn't intervene.

He finished, and kissed the girl's forehead as he stood up, and picked her up in the air with surprising ease. I squealed with excitement, quite happy. The scene was heartwarming, but foreign somehow. I realized that behind the laughter, there was worry in my dad's eyes.

Things changed again. We were back in the kitchen, my mother sitting opposite of my dad, the two arguing quietly. I definitely didn't remember this, as I was not present.

"I don't approve of this, you know," she spoke seriously.

"I know," he reached for her hand, caressing it with his. "But we are on to something big, Alice. I think we finally pinned one of their branches down."

"Big?" she asked suspiciously. He nodded.

"Huge. That drug company, Absergo. We had our eye on it for a long time, and they finally made the mistake. Listen, they're experimenting with something. And all we know is that it's nothing good, and that they are using live humans to test it."

"Live humans?" Mom's eyes widened.

"That's right. We have to stop it before it grows. God knows how many lives we can save. The tick is, they have a lot more resources and power than us. I think there was an agent planted on the inside, but a company as big as that... I assume it's just a scouting mission right now, we need a lot more preparations before we can root it out." I listened closely, even though I felt that it had little to do with any of my life, but rather, the reason of my father's departure.

"So where are you going?"

"Europe, likely. I'll join with one of the other groups, and we'll assess the situation around it."

"Europe? That's a long way."

He squeezed her hand. "I know."

A silent moment passed between them. Then Mom spoke again. "Just promise me you won't do anything too risky. You still have two daughters that expect their father to come home."

"I'll come home, don't you worry. But in case I don't-"

"Max-"

"In case," he pressed on, "I don't come home... In a few years, tell her what the symbol means, who I was, where to look for _it_. There's some things I've already taken care of for Eve, too."

"Eden is hardly the type to become one of you." Mom pursed her lips in worry. "Even if she knew, she won't want it. I mean, so far she's a perfectly normal teenager. She didn't receive the training that the others give their kids."

"I know. Living in a city like this made it a little hard to actually teach her anything, but don't paint her white. I'm sure she knows how to pickpocket by now. Hell, most of the kids around this place do. Both of them must have already picked up a few things in that school aside from math and history-"

"Then why didn't you mark Eve, as well?"

"Eve is meant for other things."

"I hate it when you speak in riddles, you know."

He smiled, reaching out and drawing her into his arms. "I know."

"And I also hate it when I don't know whether you'll come home or not."

The words sounded awfully familiar to my ears - were they not the same ones I said to Ezio in my fit of frustration?

Dad laughed quietly as he stood up, kissed the woman on the cheek, and buried his nose in her dark hair for a moment. Then he walked away, through the corridor. Mom remained in her spot, chewing on her lip as she stared out of the window with sorrow in her hazel eyes.

"Dad, where are you going?" the fourteen-year-old me asked with confusion, tearing away from the crappy old game console that seemed brand new back then.

"I'm going on a…business trip, I won't be back for a while."

This, I remembered. There was snow on the ground that day, slushy and wet, and the stars seemed dim with all the smoke and vapor. Some kid tried to bully me that day only to get a swift kick in the crotch. I skipped half the day to recover from the "mental scarring" that the incident brought, to hang out with my friends at the nearest fast-food restaurant. But the reason I remembered that day was because that was the last time I ever saw my father. His sad, farewell smile and a short salute, and then his back walking out the door, his large duffel bag packed tightly.

But seeing this, I remembered other details of the night. Like the way I ran up to him a moment before he left, hugged him tightly, and kissed him on the cheek. Now I saw the expression or adoration and sadness that I missed back then. Now I remembered that he told me to to be good, and not get into too much trouble.

Why did I forget just how important he was to me? Because I was trying to block everything out? Because I was convinced that he abandoned us?

"There was no call or mail," I whispered to Ezio, so quietly that if anyone else could hear us, they still wouldn't be able to catch it. "Everyone just sort of knew what happened. My mom started crying at night. Eve became detached, out of it. I didn't lose hope until months later, though. I never knew what really happened to him, I didn't even know where he went."

I was almost surprised when I felt Ezio wrap his arms around my waist from behind, holding me tightly to his chest. It gave me some comfort, though the reopened wounds still throbbed painfully.

"You're worried I'd walk out of you like your father did?" he muttered into my ear.

"Why not? History does have its way of repeating itself."

"You're right, but you're forgetting a very important fact."

"Whats that?"

"You're an assassin too, and as far as I know you, you would never let me leave you behind, safety be damned."

I blinked, and the setting changed just as I did so.

My father was speaking to someone quietly, his face cross and worried, his hands fiddling with his own buttons, as if he received very bad news. The man he spoke to, however, was almost unfamiliar to me. His face faded from my memory even if his name rang in my ears during my nightmares - Tyler Beck, the very first blood on my hands.

"You're sure?"

"Absolutely positive."

"So Eden becomes an assassin after all," Dad mumbled. At the mention of my name, my ears perked up and I listened more intently. "I'm just sad its for the wrong reasons."

"I'll arrange for her to come after me."

"And then?"

"Then the artifact will be passed along to its next guardian, your other daughter. As soon as it's in her hands, it'll be safe."

"I'm sorry you have to die for this to happen."

"Life hardly matters in this, does it?" the man shrugged. "It's only the first step. The girl will have to go through a lot more, but this is just the way things are written."

My dad took a deep breath, rested his forehead on his palm for a moment, and then nodded. "She's not ready."

"Are we ever? I understand that this is your family, but there is always the greater good. And perhaps things will play out for the best. After all, nothing is true."

"Everything is permitted," Father echoed, and stood up. How he calmly talked about my sister's and my future, I couldn't understand. But then again, perhaps they didn't know of my father's own death, or my mom's, or the fact that I would join a gang...

I looked around the new scene, trying to figure out where we were. It was a backstreet of some sort, during night time. So even up above us you could see only darkness the street lights were far away, where the cars ran.

"What is that?" Ezio asked, turning his head towards another noise that was happening just behind the corner from us. My eyes widened as I distinguished the yelling and taunting, and grabbed Ezio's hand to keep him from going there.

"You don't want to see this, trust me." I nearly begged. I didn't want him to see one the most humiliating moment of my life.

"Eden, something is going on there." He, being stronger than me, managed to practically drag me over to it. I gave up the struggle, just crossed my arms and turned away, my teeth clenching painfully. "Is that you?"

"Yes. That's me," I ground out.

Unable to fight back, hurting, and knowing that I agreed to all of it. I didn't remember the whimpering screams that I let out, though, as if trying unsuccessfully to hold them back. Or there being so much blood on the concrete ground. All I remembered of that moment was the start, the finish, and all the pain in between.

There was a low thud, and the screaming stopped. That was the moment one of them kicked my throat, ridding me of my voice for a week, and when it came back, it was wrecked.

"That's enough." I flinched violently, my head turning against my will to the man who spoke. Shrinking away from the voice, I instinctively hid behind Ezio, even though I knew the man couldn't see either of us. "Eden Cleare is one of us now. If she doesn't bleed out in the next five minutes, get her patched up and take her to the hideout."

"Who's that?"

"That's the man who taught me how to kill. And even forced me to enjoy every moment of it."

The young boy that I remembered with much more happier feelings, Jake, began to do as he was told, taking a lot more care than any of the others would have given me.

"Oh, and do take some care. That mark on her shoulder...hmm." Larry seemed thoughtful, and hearing that almost made my head snap around.

_He knew...?_

And it was bright again, but this time, it was my well-lit apartment again. My mother, shaking violently on the bed, dying, Eve flashing back and forth, trying to do something, at least. And fifteen year old Eden stifling tears and bloody bandages.

As for the real me? Well, I was about to watch it all go to hell a second time. But even if I could, what would I do? It was too late too save Alice Cleare. She needed a hospital right away. She barely had the strength to drag herself to the house, and not one person on the streets could be bothered to help her. I found her on the stairs as I was coming down to throw the garbage out, collapsed, unconscious, muttering some nonsense, her clothes torn and bloody.

I shut my eyes against it, turning around and immediately crashing into Ezio's chest. I didn't want to see any of it - I didn't need a refresher course. If the Apple wanted to show Ezio my life, I couldn't stop it, but I didn't want to see it. Not again.

I heard my own screaming behind me, the animalistic snarls and the yelling of my sister, as I clenched my fists on Ezio's shirt harder, gritting my teeth to the point where my entire jaw went numb. He seemed to be frozen by the events of my life that happened before his eyes, my bloody history recounted for god knew what reasons. Hesitating, his hands slid up to my back in a more mechanical gesture rather than comforting.

The beeping of a machine. Doctors throwing complicated phrases back and forth. Surprise - they were trying to understand how I was still alive. I heard them through my pain and grief induced delirium back then.

And the drop of, "There's a... complication. The operation that was done to save your life, and the damage before it left irreversible scarring on the tissues. In plain, it's likely that you won't be able to ever bear children. There was nothing we could do. There's still a chance, but it's very slim. I am so sorry." There was no actual regret in his voice- who in their right mind would trust a gang member with a criminal record, broken family and possibly murder on her hands? He didn't even feel one bit sorry for me...

Music blasted over my ears, slurred suggestions, shot glasses being slammed down. I dragged myself through nearly every bar in the entire city, and New York was large enough for the process to take years. And I did exactly that. Became just like every other criminal in the gang: a broken life, twisted mind, cold blood and nothing to live or die for anymore. Just the raw survival instinct that pushed us all forward.

Suddenly, the music stopped, the beat no longer jumping in my stomach, and it was silent. "Where are we?" Ezio's voice was quiet, distant. I lifted my head up from his chest, and looked around. It was dark again, and we were in an alleyway. "Or, when...?"

"My nineteenth birthday," I whispered, finally letting his sides go. I didn't even feel anything anymore, all of the sudden stuck in a state of numbness that was likely brought by the change in the pace of the memories. "Urg, I hoped the Apple would skip this part, but I guess it's going for the full effect. Just...watch."

"Watch for wha-?"

The back doors of the nearest building flung open, briefly letting out the music, and three people lumbered outside, two of them dragging the third. I watched almost passively now, as they laughed, and flung my body down to the ground.

"Time to pay up for those drinks, sweetheart!" one of them slurred to me as I stirred in a drunken haze, groaning and clutching at my head. For the noise, I received a swift kick in the ribs from one of them, while the other continued to laugh, getting his hands on me. I felt disgust at the scene, as I nearly gagged. Somehow, watching from the outside made it even more horrible than being inside that drunken body.

He was about to begin to pull my clothes off, as I weakly tried to fight him off, my hands trying to find a knife or a gun. But the men made sure to get those off of me before they dragged me out. I was so pathetic, it made me want to cry now. I barely even cared what happened next after that.

"Hey!" someone tore through the exact same door that the two men brought me out of. "Get your greasy hands off of her!"

"What do you care?" one of them bared his teeth in what could pass for a smirk. "She took advantage of our... hospitality! We gave her a good evening, now it's our turn."

"I _said_ get off of her." The newcomer snarled. He was not as big as the men, but still impressive with his broad shoulders and confident stance. And he was obviously not nearly as intoxicated as everyone else present.

The glaring contest lasted all but five seconds. Finally, one of them gave. "Bah, it's not worth it. Let's go find a whore or something."

With that, they stalked off. I was lucky they were not in the mood for a fight. And so was he, though I have no doubt he could have taken them. But people like them never play fair...

The man knelt beside me, fixing my unbuttoned shirt. "Hey, lady, you still with me?"

"Pl-" with that, I turned away from him on my side, with some effort, and vomited into the corner of the alley.

"I'll take that as a yes. Let's get you home. Where do you live?"

"Like... hell-" the younger-me mumbled. Even as drunk as that, I was mechanically careful with my name and address. The man sighed.

"Don't make this difficult. I just want to help."

"Whatever-" With that, I think I passed out. He sighed, and picked me up with a bit of effort, and set off to the main street.

The next time the scene changed, I was lying in a less familiar place, on someone else's couch. The man was sitting in an armchair beside me, watching the disturbed sleep quietly. My eyes shot open and I was awake within moments of realizing that I was not at home.

"Morning," he greeted me, and I stared at him with confusion, trying to remember who the hell he was and if he meant harm or not. "I never did catch your name yesterday."

After a few suspicious, disoriented glares, I finally spoke. "Tricia-"

"Let's be honest. I did save your life, after all," he called my bluff easily. I humphed.

"Fine. Eden."

"That's better. I'm Alex. It's nice to meet you. You should really be careful with accepting drinks from men you don't know, by the way."

"How about help from men I don't know? I'm alive so far," I argued.

"Not for long if you continue like that. Now how about you just say thanks, go into the bathroom, and clean yourself up while I make some coffee?" he suggested with a light smile. After another few moments, tentatively, almost disbelievingly, my own lips stretched into a clumsy smile, as if they forgot how to do it already.

Five weeks later, he left, but soon returned. Then left again. And then returned. And then...

"I wish you didn't have to leave," I muttered sadly.

"I have something for you. As a... promise."

"Hm?"

"Here," Alex reached into his pocket, pulling out a small velvet case, and slipping it into my hand. I stared at it with confusion, and then realization. Ezio's hands clenched on me, making me jump slightly.

"Is that what I think it is?"

He smiled reassuringly as I opened the case, my hands trembling visibly. A thin golden band appeared in my fingers. Looking back, I noticed the slightly manic gleam in my eyes as I assessed the ring's worth automatically, but thankfully, Alex missed that expression.

"It's an engagement ring," I stated bluntly.

"Actually, more of a promise ring. I thought I'd give you some reassurance that I'll be back before you know it."

I held that ring for a long time, not putting in on my finger yet. Hesitating. And then I swallowed, and shook my head. "Don't make promises that you aren't certain you can keep."

Everything blanked out again, and suddenly, we were in my apartment, and more specifically, in my kitchen. It rang no more memories except for one dominant thought- it was nearly exactly how I left it those years ago when I appeared in Florence from the rooftops of New York. The place was empty and dark. I, no longer caring for any consequences, dropped into one of the chairs.

After what seemed like an eternity that I spent getting used to the sounds of cars outside again, and the air that was so much different from what I breathed in Italy during the Renaissance, Ezio finally spoke. There was a movement, and he sat down opposite of me, in the chair that was usually absolutely useless as I lived alone.

"You never told me that," he whispered.

"I didn't want to talk about things in that much detail." I shrugged. "You knew most of it, any way. I told you everything about my life."

"Except for the fact that he proposed to you!"

I glared. "Look around you."

Slowly, he did. He threw a glance around the cluttered kitchen I rarely bothered to clean that went in great contrast to the neat, sparkling room that my mother kept. It was complete with unwashed floors and tables, shards of a broken cup were all over the counter, and food that was likely spoiled by now, just sitting out at random. A lone spider had long since settled in the corner of the ceiling. Besides the general disorder, there were also signs of destruction. Like bullet holes in the fridge and walls, shredded and hanging wallpaper, a cracked window, broken doors on the cabinets and dents in the walls….

Not the most pleasant and welcoming of homes.

"This nice little kitchen is in exact same state as the rest of the apartment," I raggedly sighed, "And a rather accurate reflection of how I felt back then. Even with Alex, I was a cold-blooded killer without any hope for the future. I was always lying to him, and I could not accept a ring that bound me to a man that didn't even know anything real about me. It was never even about the fact that he might not have come back, because he didn't go into open conflict often." I took another breath. "Ezio, as you may have gathered from all that, I was not a good person. I was broken, I was violent and depressed, I was loosing my mind, and I was an alcoholic that just wanted to forget everything. Not someone you'd want to promise anything, something I realized back then just as I realize it now."

We sat in silence, until I couldn't stand it pushing on my ears any longer. I stood up, and went to the cupboards, pulling out a dusty, tall bottle of vodka and set it onto the table. I could feel his eyes following my movements as I unsealed the cap. But just as I was trying to take a swing, he reached out and yanked it away from me.

"Hm, good thinking. I need a shot glass," I muttered, preparing to look for one.

"No, you don't. You quit on the strong stuff, remember?" he reminded me sternly.

"I'm allowed ale and wine, but I'm not allowed vodka? That's a lot weaker than what you're used to, believe me." I dropped back into my seat.

"I think getting drunk is the last thing you need right now." He made sure the bottle was out of my reach, before he finally asked me the question I knew was coming. "Can you tell me about that last bit?"

I didn't respond for a few moments, and then gave a resigned huff. "Like I said, it was my nineteenth birthday. I went to a bar, alone. And not the most respectable one, let me tell you that. The two men clung to me, offering company. I was too far gone to care about their intentions. Next thing I know, they drag me out into the alley, trying to get under my clothes. Then it's all a haze. I woke up in Alex's apartment, he made me breakfast, we talked. He gave me his phone number in case I decided to 'go on another insane adventure,' and let me go home. I was going to just forget about it, but he was always on my mind. Eventually I just caved and called him."

Ezio listened to me quietly, letting me recount the memories - it was the beginning of my short spell of happiness, and thinking about it still brought a smile to my face. "He turned everything around," I muttered with affection.

"But you still wouldn't accept the ring?" There was accusation and confusion in his voice. He didn't seem to understand what was wrong with me.

"Like I said. I loved him, but I didn't trust him enough to be honest, much less accept something that tied him down to me. I mean, come on! He was about to make a promise to someone who's money came from the drugs she sold and the people she killed. Not to mention, someone that couldn't even give him a proper family without even knowing about it."

"But I know about it."

"Alright, I see where you're going with this, and-" I suddenly froze, as I could think of no more reasons as to why our situation was the same as the one back then. They were two completely different...

Ezio didn't push me farther. "And then what happened?"

I sighed. "And then he died, like I should have known he would. He always promised me he's come back, but then again, they all did. All promises are broken by death. That ring would have lost its value anyway, becoming just more clutter in this apartment."

I shut my eyes and dropped my head on my hands in exhaustion. I was tired of the emotional storm that I was forced to relive in just minutes. Not to mention, we were suddenly in the place that I definitely never wanted to be in. "Ezio, I'm confused. Why are you so...persistent in this? If I was in your place, I'd likely just turn around and say, 'This just isn't worth it,' and walk away."

"I like how you say how imperfect you are all the time, as if it's some kind of excuse," he sarcastically replied. "Really, do you seriously hold such a low opinion of me?"

"Like it or not, it's the solid truth." I picked my forehead up just so I could drop it again onto the wood. I wanted to sleep...

"Eden, look at me." Somehow, I missed the creaking of his chair and his movement, but suddenly, he was kneeling beside me. I turned my head, and met his eyes, feeling too weak to actually respond in any way. "Come now, I knew all this about you before. Whatever it is that you were before, you've changed in so many ways now."

"Like how?"

"You're kind, charming, intelligent, skilled...should I continue?" His hand gently stroked my hair, and for the first time in my life, I actually wanted to cry from relief.

"Haven't you heard that flattery doesn't get you anywhere?" I asked quietly.

"Lies," he grinned taking my response as a sign that it was safe now. "I just really wish you'd start seeing the difference between the Eden we just saw throwing up in some alley, and the one I'm asking to marry me."

It took me a full minute to realize the weight of those words. And when they did...

"Besides," he continued, "Ever thought how hard it would be for me?" I glanced at him with surprise. He was smiling warmly, as if sure he had already convinced me in everything. "Three years ago, the very thought of getting married to anyone was a thing of nightmares."

"Oh, yes. I remember your womanizer habits...God, it gave me so much grief back then, I never knew one person could make me that jealous," I fleetingly grinned, _"_Especially some pretty-boy like you."

"Yet, I haven't even been able to look at another woman quite the same way since the first time you kissed me."

I knew he was not lying - he, almost uncharacteristically, stayed faithful to me for almost two years. I was never concerned that he did something behind my back, as I could always tell if he was lying to me or not. If at first I was worried, those fears evaporated quickly. I grinned at him with a sudden rush of adoration for the man, for a moment forgetting all the things the Apple showed us.

It was almost strange, I realized. We were focusing on our argument mainly, almost forgetting the threads in the tapestry that I'd never seen before. Everything to do with the Assassins and my father was the last thing on my mind.

Ezio leaned forward to kiss my forehead, straightening and pulling me up in one smooth movement. "So let's just not fight anymore, okay?"

Following a completely random urge, I hugged Ezio's middle, almost as a child would, pressing my smile into his chest. "You know I love you, right?"

"Of course." He sounded absolutely sure of that, despite everything, the arrogant flirt...

"And that I wouldn't make a good wife?"

"I don't want a good wife. I want you. Eden," he steadily declared, hands coming rest at my waist. "Do you honestly think I haven't thought of everything before I proposed?"

"And what did you come up with?" I raised my eyebrows, the adoration in his voice making all my organs melt and my heart flutter somewhere in the middle of the mess.

"That we never were and never will be a normal couple, and our mental health is definitely questionable, so nothing will ever change that. So is it really so horrible that I want you to know that I wouldn't have it any other way?"

That stumped me momentarily. I pulled away from him to stare at his face, slightly confused. His voice was surprisingly light, but his eyes reflected an almost foreign vulnerability. "I haven't - thought of it that way. Marriage was always an abstract concept…you know, dutiful housewife with three children on her hands, and a cheating, chubby husband. I-I just couldn't really see it with us." I mumbled.

"Yes, I definitely do not fit that description of a 'chubby husband,' while you are hardly a 'dutiful housewife.' So I can see where you'd have problems imagining it. Wait, 'Couldn't?'" he quoted, putting emphasis on the past tense. His face lit up, and he seemed hopeful.

Did I want a house and proper family?

A thousand years ago, when I was young and innocent enough to consider that a perfect life, perhaps. Basing everything off the only role models I had, my parents were the nearly perfect example. But now, what he proposed seemed far much better than any cliche fantasy I had as a kid. It no longer seemed like a coffin - permanent and breath-restricting. But rather, it slipped into an open-ended commitment.

"So, to clear up. No expectations? I can still be an assassin?"

"I'd really like to see myself try to stop you."

"And you're completely fine with the fact that I can't have children?"

"Isn't Adel enough?"

"She _is_ a handful..."

There was silence that was only interrupted my the gears whirring inside my brain, trying to wrap my head around the idea.

"So? What do you say?"

"I still say you're an idiot," I fought to stop the laughter that was breaking through, and an involuntary grin spread on my lips, "But you're _my_ idiot, so I guess I'll deal."

"Is that a yes?"

"Actually, that's a 'Let's deal with this crap, get back home, and then I'll tell you a formal _Yes_, I will marry you.'"

And, the next thing I knew, Ezio grabbed me in a heap, lifting me high above the floor. I made a noise of surprise, but then joined in his laughter, as the full thought hit me.

We were _engaged. _And somehow, the idea did not send an unpleasant shiver down my spine like before. Instead, the anticipation and excitement seemed to bubble up inside me, overflowing until I felt as though I was nearly bursting with sheer elation.

...Sad that we were still in New York, my birthplace and hell. Especially when I would have given a lot to never see it again. But, as the strange hour proved, Ezio was right. It was time to drop an avalanche on this little cave of nightmares.

But first, sleep. Or, you know. Later.

_After _our little private celebration…


	35. Chapter 34

**A/N- **Just one little note- a friend of mine, after three months of procrastination, finally summed me up a picture of Eden and Ezio. I'm broadcasting the fact because it became a shock when she FINALLY finished it. You can see it here (remove the spaces):

http: / hayashi-of-earth . deviantart . com /art/On-Top-of-the-World-170360992

Also, thank you to everyone that has done fanart for Eden, each one made me grin like an idiot for most of the day. The complete list of pictures for this story is in my profile.

* * *

Lying in bed with her cradled next to him, Ezio finally realized just how much he has missed Eden. The weeks that she was in Milan, and then the nearly suffocating awkwardness between them that they both pretended wasn't there when she returned to _Venezia_...all of it seemed so pointless now.

He was delighted to find that she still slept in the same curled up position, somehow ending up buried deep in the blankets. Granted, she didn't sleep well at first. Not that he could blame her after the things that she was forced to relive. But eventually, she warmed up and finally relaxed, her face regaining the childish innocence that came to her in the release of sleep. He was almost afraid of breathing, as to not scare it away.

Soon, though, when a single ray of dull sunlight managed to peek between the heavy, drawn curtains, he quietly stood up, his curiosity getting the better of him. The apartment was small, though in comparison bigger than the tiny rooms they rented when passing through cities back home. Well, back at _his _home. It was dark, as Eden warned him against turning on the light or even being near the windows. But he could still make out certain things. For example, the fact that the furniture was tarnished and showed signs of abuse, while other things were completely brand new. He concluded that the stuff either survived one of Eden's berserk moments, or she'd replaced only a few of her things because they were beyond help. There was nothing truly valuable in sight as far as he could tell. Knowing her cautious nature she likely hid everything somewhere.

There were pictures on the walls, though. Moving closer, he realized they were made the same way as the pictures of her past targets were. Completely smooth and startlingly realistic, right to the last detail, it was as if someone captured the moment perfectly on the paper. But these were pictures of more familiar things - little Eden with her family, playing in the snow with her sister, a wedding photograph of her parents. Out of the entire apartment, they were the only ones that looked completely untouched, a layer of dust collected on them. But he notices that there were no pictures where Eden was older than about fourteen, the period between then and now completely unrecorded.

After that, what intrigued him the most was a large black cube that stood on a small table. One side seemed to have been made out of glass, while the rest of it was a strange material that didn't seem like either wood or metal. In the back, thick strings came out of little holes, connecting the box to the wall in one place. Unable to contain his curiosity, he poked it. Nothing happened. He looked around more carefully and suddenly found a strange panel of buttons on the side. Not really believing anything would happen, he pressed the biggest one...

* * *

"What in the heavens is that thing?"

"Calm, Ezio," I barely contained laughter, playing with the remote to the TV. "Take a breath. It won't eat you. At least, I never noticed that tendency in TV."

"That's not funny!" he glared at me before staring back at the screen with absolute shock and slight fear. "What's a TV?" he nearly stammered. Reaching out, he looked as though he was about to touch it, but he speedily backed away at the last moment as the picture changed to some other scene.

"A box where I keep all the souls I've harvested. But see how happy they are? It's like having an aquarium!" Just my luck, they were showing a kid clothing store commercial, where all the children were mercilessly ruining the clothes that were advertised by running around on a playground.

With the way he stared at with me with wide eyes, I realized that I shouldn't joke about those things. But the temptation was too hard to resist. I took pity on him, and finally explained properly. "It just shows stuff that was recorded-"

"Re-cor-dud?" he swallowed, his lovely accent sliding around the words with rising confusion. It would've been unbearably cute, if not for the distant fear reflected in his eyes.

"It's hard to explain... It's harmless, though," I quickly replied. "Now, since we already have it on..." I hesitantly picked up the remote that lay on the floor beside the TV and flipped through the channels, trying to remember where everything was.

"What are you doing?"

"First things first, right? I need to figure out how long it was since my disappearance. It could make all the difference in how hard life is going to be."

"In what way?"

"If it was only a few days, no one would even notice. They'd assume I'm in a deal across the city or hiding out in a safe house. If it was longer than a week, though, we can safely bet that my return would not be well received." I finally found the channel, and the boring, monotone of the announcer was heard, but I focused more on the date up in the corner. "It's September 28th," I said aloud, "And thankfully, it's still 2010. Good thing, too, because then we should still have electricity and the telephone." I could hear Ezio mumbling my last words behind me, the concepts understandably utterly foreign to him. "Anyway, I left on the..." I tried to remember the date on the day of my departure from this place, but somehow, all I could recall were two very pissed off policemen and an archer on the rooftops in Venice. I could barely even remember what season it was. "Damn."

"You don't remember?" he raised an eyebrow, and I shrugged.

"Hardly seemed important." I looked around, now wishing that I kept a calendar around. "I remember...puddles, but those aren't an oddity, and it was night time. Aside from that, it's all a blur. Give me break, it's been three years! Well, three years in your time," I nervously laughed, which only caused his eyes to widen a bit. "That will have to wait, then... Now, onto the second part of my ingenious plan. As I learned to blend in your time, I'll teach you about mine. First of all, clothes. Both of us are dressed super _weird_."

"What's wrong with this?" he looked down onto the white, thin, and very lose tunic that he'd pulled on after his shallow injuries were bandaged. I was a little less dressed, however, my uniform already lying on he bed discarded. I didn't answer Ezio, and began walking towards the tiny bedroom, shoving aside clutter and hoping I wouldn't trip over anything. The curtains stayed closed and the lights stayed off to give us some preparation time, so orientation was a little difficult. But soon I found the closet, and pushed the doors aside. "I think Alex's old stuff should fit you. Here..." I dug up a few shirts, jeans and even a pair of boxers. He took them from me with a skeptical, almost mistrustful gesture.

"You kept a lot of his clothes."

"Never got around to throwing them out. Besides, half of them fit me just as well. Kept him close, you know," I threw in, hoping that the statement wouldn't bother Ezio as much as it would have before he saw inside my head. Thankfully, there was no change in his expression. While he changed, I continued with my instructions. "Alright, the number one rule of this place? Trust _no one_ but me. Even old ladies and little children are often involved or connected to gangs one way or another. And even if they are not, I wouldn't take the chance. Next, don't talk or even respond to the people you see."

"That's a little rude," he doubtfully replied. "Actually, it's unbelievably rude," he crossed his arms. Admittedly, I had to remember that even despite fighting Templars and spending my time around thieves, mercenaries and courtesans, the Renaissance was much more formal place. Well, at least on the surface. People always greeted each other and acted in the most polite fashion possible… at least until you find their knife in your neck or vice-versa.

I gave him a fleeting grin as I changed into my old clothes. "Just a rule of the streets that could easily save us a lot of time. If a girl asks you for company - well, that I don't have to explain. Just watch where her hands are at all times, cause they could get sticky if rejected. If there's trouble, don't expect help from anyone but me, as everyone seemingly has better things to do. There are no factions here, no order except for the gangs."

"So basically, stay away from everyone?" he asked, and I nodded.

"See? You're getting it already. Just follow my lead. If we run into old friends of mine, don't try to help - I know how to deal with it, as in my years I've seen just about everything there is to be seen on the streets."

"And you're not getting... ah, rusty from the years of absence?" his asked me with a wicked gleam in his eyes. I narrowed my eyes dangerously. As I approached him slowly, almost like a cat on the prowl, he watched me with the same lazy smile.

"Careful there, pretty boy." I lifted my hand up to yank the collar of the shirt he was having trouble with so that his face was just an inch away from mine. "Accidents happen to those who entertain a thought like that," I whispered over his lips, taking pleasure in the fact that his eyes half closed and his breath hitched. "But! Let's continue, shall we?" I took a step away from him and he nearly fell forward. I laughed lightly as he glared. "Now, for weapons."

He sighed, in a doomed voice asked, "What's wrong with blades?"

"Nothing aside from the fact that no one uses them. You can keep the hidden blades and throwing knives on you...but let's see if we can't find something a little better." I tapped my chin in thought, and then set to work on moving the desk out of my way, then folding the rug up. Pushing on one end of the boards in the floor, one by one, and searching for the spot, I found it moments later with a triumphant call. "You wouldn't believe how long it took to make hiding spots in this place..." I noted as I brushed aside the debris I used to cover the bag and pulled it out. It was filled with different knives, guns, clips and magazines of bullets, and all sorts of weaponry. I pushed the bag to Ezio, and he pulled it up onto the table, beginning to look through it.

"The bad thing about this period is that the other side has guns as well, while in Italy you were basically the only one. So get used to dodging bullets."

"I had sort of hoped that the bullets could be avoided. But it seems you have different plans...?"

"Considering the fact that nothing in this neighborhood goes unnoticed, we can expect guests at any time," I shrugged. "Ezio, gangs are a commitment a lot worse than you can imagine. If you try to run, it's a death sentence. The only way to get out of it is to endure a beating at least five times worse than the initiation, and that's only if the leaders feel merciful enough. I won't lie to you; I was often sent after people like that, and I've taken part in the beatings more than once. Larry doesn't give breaks to any of the members."

"What about the ones that been there the longest?"

"Never seen one even attempt to run before. They already ruined their lives, so there's nothing but the gang for them. And they-" I blinked, suddenly aware of the forceful tug of intuition. His head jerked slightly towards the doors, as well.

"They're already here?" he asked, but I was moving before he was even finished. Stuffing most of the weapons back into the hiding spot, I picked up only a few things and covered my trail. I threw all our original clothes into the closet, littering a few of my shirts on top, and leaving the door wide open as to not draw suspicion, making sure the board where I hid my fake and real document copies was covered properly. Ezio watched me with an almost fascinated look as I finished the routine that I learned carefully after getting searched by cops and nearly getting caught.

"Ezio," I muttered to him forcefully as the footsteps began to get louder in my ears. "Follow my lead. Do not interfere, don't even talk, lest they take it personally. I know what I'm doing," I reminded him, and grimly and hesitantly, he nodded.

As if right on cue, I heard the lock on the door click open. And into view came the face that I actually missed.

"Jake!" I sighed a breath of relief, rushing towards him, and embracing him in a hug without thinking. By the way he took a step away I could tell he was shocked, and whatever he was going to say died on his lips.

The same shaggy haystack of light brown hair and the same scar crossed his face. But while he usually looked content, now there were conflicting emotions on his face.

"Eden, what the hell are you doing here?" he finally asked, staring at me with a stern look. "You have any idea how lucky you are I was tipped off first?"

Yeah, it was longer than a week, then.

"Listen-"

"What happened to you?" he finally noticed the change. "Did you get extensions or something? And where did these scars come from? And why do you look so-" he shifted his eyes to Ezio, who was eying him with just as much suspicion. "And who the hell is that?"

"I'll introduce you later, Jake…tell me what happened after I disappeared!" I urgently asked, as I knew - if Jake was tipped off, then the rest of the gang wouldn't take long either.

"Bloody chaos, that's what," he spit onto the floor. "Larry is turning the city upside down looking for you; after you didn't come back for three weeks, it became pretty obvious you ran. None of your deals were made, and all your targets are still breathing. He tried to question me, too, but figured out fast I had no freaking idea where the hell you went." There was a slightly hurt note in his voice, though I could have just imagined it.

"I didn't get a choice in the matter," I growled, "But whatever…how long do we have?"

"Not long. They won't kill you yet, don't worry. But you shouldn't have back. You know him, he doesn't forgive. He has something planned, and I don't like it one bit, so make a run for it now or you won't get a second chance."

I shook my head, coming closer as I shoved a rather large object into his pocket. "It's too late - it's alright, though, I was going to pay him a visit anyway, I guess it's better sooner than later. Jake, are you on my side?"

"What kind of question is that? Obviously-"" he turned his head towards the door he left open, as footsteps began to thunder up the stairs.

"Then trust me, and sorry for this."

My fist flew up and punched him in the nose without warming. The force made him stumble and howl in pain just as three new arrivals lumbered through the door, though I made sure that I didn't break his nose on accident. But if I didn't make a move like that, there would be suspicions as to why the hell we were just standing and chatting when he no doubt had orders to get me to Larry as soon as I showed my face.

"Well, lookie what we have here, boys! Our little Eden dared to show her face again."

I nearly gagged as I recognized the speaker. "Garrett. I'm surprised you're still alive. Then again, I suppose licking Larry's boots can get you a long way..."

The man I was talking to had nearly the same pleasant appearance that Vieri de'Pazzi had in his worst years of puberty. Greasy hair, a cheap imitation of a smirk that looked more like a toothless monkey grinning, a mountain of something I still couldn't identify as either muscle or fat, and of course, two faithful friends on either side, by the names Kurt and Burt. The gorillas were twin brothers that I never had the best memories of. And all together the three were my least favorite members of the gang, right up there with Larry and Millie.

"That tongue won't do you much good when he tears it out of your throat," he threatened. "He's not happy with you. Good job on detaining her, Jakey, we'll take it from here. Grab her and her new boyfriend."

Just as they made a move towards us, though, I picked up two guns from the nearest table in a flash, while Ezio pointed another. The men froze in their step while Jake stared at us as if we were insane, still clutching his nose.

"Gentlemen, I don't need an escort. If Larry wants me, then I can walk to him all by myself."

What can I say? I hate being manhandled.

"As you wish,_ milady_," Garrett snarled the last word, his eyes on my hands. My reputation as the second best shooter (the first place was taken by Larry himself) in the gang still held, then. Some comfort that was, considering I hadn't actually shot a gun in a long, _long _time, now. Then again, my knife work had admittedly improved, by leaps and bounds. Not to mention, my intuition…

"Eden-" My eyes darted to Ezio in warning. I made a little shake of the head to tell him that so far, the situation was under control. He immediately calmed down, putting his trust into me. After all, this was my world, not his. The most he could do now was believe that I knew what I was doing.

* * *

Ezio's first impression of the city? It was big, and it was depressing. Even though the region they were in didn't contain skyscrapers, he could still see colossally tall buildings in the center of the town, their sides completely smooth with glass. A few of them seemed to reach the clouds, too. The air was a bit more stifling and dry, and some strange smell hung in it. It almost seemed heavier, making his nose itch and his throat tingle with a bit of a burn. The atmosphere was pretty dark, the walls they passed battered with some bright words somehow painted on them. But aside from that, it just looked dirty and chaotic. Strange carriages without horses were stacked in the roads, waiting for some sort of signal from the red-green lights. Except the lights were far brighter than being lit by candles or fire alone. Shady teenagers were hanging out in the alleys, looking even more malevolent than the thieves back home, when he first met them. He could have sworn he heard someone scream from far away.

It was definitely nowhere like Italy of his time. He briefly wondered if Italy became just like this city, though he hoped otherwise. This place was cold, unfamiliar, strange, foreign. He just couldn't see Eden, or any other child growing up here.

Deciding to focus on more cheerful things, he turned his attention back to Eden, though to his slight disappointment, she looked just as discontent as him, while silently talking to her friend of something. Their communication consisted of glares, small, fleeting gestures, and mouthed words. Even though the three unpleasant men that came to get them were walking confidently in front.

Out of nothing better to do, Ezio looked at the people that passed them and the stores that lined the streets. Three young women walked by with a large, menacing dog on a short leash. Then came a teenager, a few years younger than Ezio, dressed in extremely baggy clothes, his pants seemingly riding a lot lower than his supposed height. Some shopkeeper was grimly patching up bullet whole in his door window.

A scared looking young woman hurried past, as if wanting nothing more than to just get away from this place. Ezio's eyes widened at her clothes, for she wore what looked like undergarments from his time; on her top was a short chemise, on her bottom, her skirt so short he could see her thighs. The shoes on her feet made her look taller, though they appeared a bit painful. He immediately sensed two smirking characters watching her from across the street, smoking something.

He felt slight concern at the woman's safety, but didn't dare leave Eden's side. He suddenly realized what she meant when she said not to trust anyone and that in this city, everyone was out for themselves. This was definitely not Florence or Venice. No matter how much he wanted to help, there was likely nothing he could do, considering his complete lack of knowledge of this place. Also, he didn't like the prospect of getting hit by one of those fast moving carriages at full speed, either...

* * *

I hated the safe house that Larry used as a base - too much blood was on the floors, and too many criminals that didn't deserve security hid here. It was below an old warehouse, with the doors easily defensible, and all suspicious residents and local police around were paid off to ignore its presence. It was always dark, though, as Larry did love his dramatics. The cellars were filled with so many things - drugs, weapons, alcohol, money. All of it was disguised, just in case, but it was there nonetheless. I suddenly found myself wishing it was Antonio, who seemed to take his thieves' opinions seriously, from his bright, palatial, marble-walled base that was the Seta.

All Larry's base was illegal. All of it paid with blood money. Criminals knew how to hide, otherwise they didn't last long. So the halls were always empty, giving it an abandoned appearance. I hated just about every aspect of it.

And most of all, I hated the man that was in the middle of everything.

"I thought I taught you better."

His voice was cold, lifeless and cruel, reeking of the false politeness that sometimes made my teeth clench. There was no emotion in his dark eyes, only death. They often appeared in my nightmares, piercing straight down to my soul, freezing my heart, stifling my humanity. Unwillingly, I felt fear, hopelessness trying to sink its claws into me.

"After everything I've given you, this safe house, protection, a family, all your skills and connections... and then you throw it in my face like that?"

_For all the good it did to me._

"What's that in your eyes?" he came closer to me, grasping my chin in his cold hands. I didn't struggle, like he knew I wouldn't. "Fear? Defiance? Never expected that from you, I thought I squashed those pathetic feelings out of you years ago. I thought I told you only your blood-lust was a worthwhile emotion."

I knew Ezio was watching us so carefully he could potentially strain his eyes. Thankfully, he did nothing, as I instructed. Beside him was Jake, who displayed even less expression than mine, his stony poker-face firmly in place. His nose didn't give him too much trouble, after all, as it'd been broken at least three times in the past five years. He was used to it, and I didn't even do it that much damage. Garrett and his thugs were ushered out as soon as they came inside, though I had little doubt that they were standing outside the door, waiting for the gunshot with anticipation.

"You," Larry turned to Ezio, "What did you do to her? She's been gone for three weeks and comes back all...human." He spat the word as he was talking about cockroaches. He saw the difference between what I was three years ago and what I'd became now. His eyes could reach into your very being, after all, freezing everything as they went, searching for weakness, for more humanity that needed to be rooted out and killed. I already decided, however. I would not let him do that to me this time.

Three yeas was a long time for penance. The days he could control me were long over; I had more things to live for than being his tool, and the strongest argument was standing just a few steps away from me, being questioned by my former boss.

Before answering, Ezio looked at me. I widened my eyes in a "negative". He kept silent. Larry immediately lost interest and turned his face back to me. "Such a shame to kill my little pupil. You were such a talented girl. I taught you everything...why did you try to run? And more importantly, why did you come back? You were never stupid."

"I'm not yours anymore," I growled, teeth sharp and glittering in warning against my lips.

"What did you say?" He thought for a long moment, his face unbearably and uncomfortably close to mine. His breath, while not unpleasant, made bile rise in my throat, his eyes still freezing my insides. Finally, he smiled. God knew how much I hated that smile. It was never in good humor or in laughter. It only promised malice, suffering, and immense pain before death.

"I won't kill the best of my assassins. But I think you need a refresher course...I believe your dear sister is alive and well, yes? We've been searching for her, and nearly found her, too. She left quite a few false trails, but seems like Millie managed to pin down her location. She's just outside of New York, in Jamesburg, to be precise. Now that you're back, we can finally get to work on-"

"Don't you dare!" I hissed, the words out of my mouth before I could stop them. Larry's smile only spread further. "If you touch her, I swear to god-"

"Touch her? Eden, I'll rape her, mutilate her, make her scream, and then, I will finally kill her," his hand gripped my hair in a painful hold as he hissed the words into my ears. "And you'll be forced to watch every moment of it. But nothing personal...you'll likely thank me for it later.

Momentarily forgetting common sense, I attempted to snap out of his grip by hitting the points the points on his arms and kick up, but he was ready. One of his hands caught my knee, the other somehow gathering both of my wrists, and he flung me to the floor. I managed to regain my balance, crashing into Ezio's chest. He looked torn between wanting to rip the man from limb to limb and just getting me somewhere far, far away from this damned place. I guessed that he could hear the echoes of the screams, like I did. Or maybe it was the fleeting show of fear on my face that tipped him off...

"You can't get the better of me, you never could," Larry laughed, and I heard a gun click. My eyes narrowed - I knew what he was planning. Time to drop the act. I gripped Ezio's arms hard, bringing my mouth beside his ear. With a glare, I tipped Jake off, and he made a barely noticeable motion, his hand slipping into his pocket.

"On my signal-"

"And as for your boyfriend…"

"-Close your eyes-"

"…I think he's overstayed his welcome."

"And _run_."

Breath. Another click. Time.

"GO!"

I shut my eyes just as the white light exploded in the room, blocking out everything, everyone. There were cries of shock, but there was no time to linger. I shoved Ezio to where I knew the doors were and flung it open. Somewhere behind us, I heard a gunshot through the ringing in my ears. Time was running out.

As soon as we were out of the room, I ran, Ezio's hand in mine as we tore down the painfully familiar corridors, ducking behind shelves and corners, searching for the one exit...

When I found it, I almost bulldozed the door out of the frame, stumbling into the underground parking lot. Swiping a flat knife out of its hidden sheath, I ran to the black car I used to favor.

"Eden!" I turned around sharply, ready to dive behind the car. But then I realized it was just Jake, who somehow managed to keep up with us. "You'll never get away in that piece of junk."

"Do you have a better idea?" I snarled, and he nodded, throwing me the keys and running to the short row of motorbikes. I suddenly grinned, and tugged Ezio along. "Get on behind me and hold tight."

"-what is that thing?" he nearly shouted, but nonetheless did as told, as I revved the engine. Jake took the one beside us, and quickly, we cleared out, right before the door burst open again and familiar voices could be heard shouting. But we were out before the gunshots began...

Sweet freedom! It took me a moment to remember the controls, but soon I fell into the action. I exchanged smirks with Jake as I felt Ezio's arms grip me tightly in shock, and we drove out into the back alleys to avoid traffic.

* * *

First thing - money. The gang hadn't ransacked my place yet, as I knew the unspoken rule; we didn't steal from other members if they're alive, not even on the off chance that they might not come back. And they knew that if I was making a run for it, I wouldn't leave evidence behind, anyway. I ripped off the loose floorboards, pulling out the dusty bag of cash. It was enough to last us at least a few weeks, if not longer. Second, I got my fake documents and laptop. And third, a bottle of vodka from the kitchen table. The entire process took me only three minutes, and then I was out the door and down the stairs, where my two friends were waiting, turning their heads around impatiently. I pushed the bag into Ezio's arms, and sat in front of him on the bike again.

"Where are we going? Airport?" Jake called. I shook my head tightly.

"Jamesburg."

Ezio, already taught by experience, gripped me tightly around my waist as we took off again. Heading into the main street, this time, without any stops, we made our way outside the city. I was glad to see it behind us in the mirror, letting out a breath of relief I didn't even know I was holding. Even then, though, we continued to put as much space between us and the city as possible.

The full realization of what we just did and what was going on hit me a few miles along the highway, and I had to struggle to keep the bike straight. Ezio must have felt how I tensed further, for I felt his warm hand press into my side reassuringly. Seeing as the next town was already in sight, I slowed slightly, and as soon as we leveled with the first house, I detoured to the side streets, finally coming to a stop.

"I can't believe this," Jake breathed as he got off his bike, and nearly fell into the grass. "Eden, do you realize what you just got me into?"

"Sadly, I do, but it was totally your choice!" I snapped, more because of nerves than intention.

"Shouldn't we keep moving?" Ezio asked, still looking at the bike with distrust. "What in the devil is that…_thing?_"

"Is your friend daft or something?" Jake raised his eyebrow. The corner of my lips pulled up.

"There's no bikes in the fifteenth century, that's all." Ezio glared at me sharply.

"Haha, very funny," Jake waved it off. "That's a motorcycle. You've seen what its' used for. And it just occurred to me I still don't know who the hell you are."

The Assassin blinked in surprise for a moment, and then introduced himself. "Ezio Auditore da Firenze."

"An Italian? Where did you pick him up?" Jake snorted, but this time, in good humor. "I'm Jake. I'm the reason this brat is still alive."

"As if. I recall saving your ass more than enough times, one of them being right before I disappeared," I grumbled.

"Puh-lease, I could have gotten out of that myself. And what the hell happened to your driving skills?"

"Careful, I don't even have a real license, remember? Besides, it's been a while."

"Three weeks is now a while?" Jake asked skeptically. Time had a habit of becoming a huge blur in his lifestyle, I remembered, as it was really unimportant if you had nothing to look forward to. "Oh, right, thanks for reminding me. Where did you go that you so cleanly disappeared off our radars?"

"Back in time," I crossed my arms. He looked unamused. "No, I'm serious. Went to the fifteenth century. Met Leonardo da'Vinci and Machiavelli, Lorenzo de'Medici and the Po- Rodrigo Borgia. By the way, the latter is not a very pleasant person. He tried to kill us a fair few times..."

"Since when do you know history?" he glared at me, still believing it's a joke.

"Since I was forced to live it."

"Um," Ezio suddenly spoke up, and I turned back to him questioningly. "That was New York that's apparently on the "other" side of the world? The one that speaks English?"

"That's right."

"I don't know much English, but what you're saying makes perfect sense," he swallowed, brow furrowing, "Why is that?"

"Oh, nothing to worry about, it's the Apple helping you adjust," I waved, "Though, to tell you the truth, you do still have a lot of your original accent-"

"Seriously," Jake chuckled, "He sounds like something out of some fancy foreign movie, or a perfume commercial. The girls here are going to just go _nuts_ for that," he knowingly elbowed Ezio in the arm, suggestively waggling his eyebrows.

"Is that so?" Ezio replied with a knowing smirk, addressing him directly for the first time.

"Shut up, Jake! Ezio, don't even think about it!" I glared at him where he stood behind Ezio. "Anyway, I never spoke a word of Italian until I appeared in Florence," I shrugged.

"You speak Italian?" Jake was slowly coming to the realization that perhaps we were not kidding, and the mere concept seemed to confuse him beyond belief. I didn't answer, as explanations would take too long, and time was not something we had an abundance of at the moment.

"And what was that thing that made all the light?" Ezio continued, "It…it didn't seem like a smoke bomb..."

"Flash grenade. It shoots out blinding light instead instead of smoke," I quickly explained, "Gave one to Jake right before Garrett burst into our apartment."

"Alright," he let out a long breath. "Then coming back to the previous question…shouldn't we keep moving to your sister? We can't let them get there before us."

I shook my head at the same time as Jake did, who seemed to really misunderstand what was going on between us. "We have three to five hours."

"How do you know that?" Ezio asked in confusion at our confidence.

"Larry likes...games," I shivered violently, "He will give us a head start just so he can prove that time doesn't matter when he wants to catch someone."

"And does it?"

"Situations are always different..."

"Reassuring. Then how about some food?"

It amazed me just how calm Ezio was, considering everything. I mean, not only someone was threatening my sister, lover, and my own life, but that someone was Larry! On the inside, I was panicking worse than ever, with the sense of slow upcoming doom trying to take over my mind. "What?" he finally asked under our uncertain, and slightly shocked gazes.

"You - Eden, what did you tell him of Larry?"

"I thought enough, but..."

"He isn't that scary, children," the Italian rolled his eyes, and crossed his arm.

"Ezio what's-your-face, you do realize that the man is ruthless and absolutely brilliant?" Jake raised both of his eyebrows. "If he's set on Eden, he'll follow her to the other side of the planet. And I guess I'm now marked as traitor, as well. If we ever meet him again, we're dead. Our only chance is to get to some airport, and get ourselves to China or something, with fake names. And even then, we're risking living the rest of our lives looking over our shoulders."

"I'm not running," I suddenly said with defiance, and now Jake turned to me in shock. "Not without Eve. I risked her life all those years, and I'm not about to prove her right by being the cause of her death."

"I thought you lost contact with her since she stormed out."

"That hardly matters, she is still my sister and the only relative I have left. Larry said she was in Jamesburg, so that's where I'm going."

"And you're going to believe him?" Ezio didn't fully seem to understand what the hell we were doing here.

"Duh. What's the fun in the game if you don't give the prey some motivation?"

"Okay, the way you keep referring to this game is starting to get a little creepy."

"I'm just trying to make you understand the full weight of the situation we're in. I think I prefer at least a hundred more Silvios before I want to cross Larry." The shiver that continued up and down my spine did not leave, slowly becoming a seizure.

"You don't know what he'll do to us when he catches us." Jake stood from the grass, his face barely dropping any hint of emotion. But his eyes were slightly wide with rising panic, as though the situation was finally hitting him full on, for the first time. "Running from him is suicide as soon as you begin, and the only chance you have is to keep running." Ezio stared between us, and then his eyes settled back on me.

"Let's not get ahead of ourselves. I think you make him out more dangerous than he actually is," he carefully said, causing Jake to sputter with disagreement, though he didn't say anything. "For now, let's just get some food, and figure out what we are going to do next."

Food sounded very nice, considering I hadn't eaten anything for a while. I gave Jake the money, not wanting to risk leaving Ezio on his own. Besides, part of the reason the stash was hidden was because I hated even looking at the blood-stained bills. So I had no problem trusting Jake with it.

* * *

We stood behind the small convenience store, and Ezio was still looking around curiously. Without really noticing, I leaned onto the wall, and examined the profile of his handsome face. Was I like this when I dropped into Florence? I didn't remember much anymore. After a few months, it felt as if there was never any surprise, as if I'd spent my entire life there, the life her in New York just a persistent, bad dream. I didn't appreciate the reminder much, but I caught myself thinking, _What if this was going to be over soon? That once I finished whatever it __was__ I was supposed to, we __got__ back to Venice and __forgot__ that this was ever a part of my life?_

Would the nightmares stop?

"A copper for your thoughts, _bella?_" I blinked, and realized he was staring at me, his mouth in a gentle smirk. I smiled back automatically, my grin fading immediately. He put his fingers under my chin, and looked into my eyes, my own hand automatically reaching up to touch his wrist. His touch was comforting and soothing, and my worries and fear began to seep away a little. "You're not scared are you? Come now, we've faced worse."

"I'm not scared," I bit my lip, "I'm god-damned terrified. Ezio…you honestly have no idea how afraid I am. After all the years...watching him wreck chaos and murder innocents, doing whatever he told me to do, even if it was the most despicable thing I could imagine….he's the one that pushed my insanity this far..."

He was listening intently, his calloused thumb running over my skin carefully. I think he knew that if I was this afraid, I had a reason to be. To me, as well as Jake, Larry was untouchable, evil, terrifying, someone that forced us to fear him for so long, it became pure, animal instinct. "Eden, can I ask you something?" his words broke me out of my thoughts.

"Of course..."

"By the way you talk about him, he's a mass-murderer. But before, you always made references to how he used his gang as tools rather than get his hands dirty himself. So it's it possible that the only reason you're afraid is because that's what he taught you?"

"That's-" I blinked, taking in the words, slightly confused. Did I ever see Larry do something monstrous himself? Yes, but have I ever seen him display skill greater than my own? That's debatable...he caught me off guard earlier. But if I wasn't so scared and worried, perhaps I could have ended it right there.

"We're still talking about a man who cares absolutely nothing for lives of others," I murmured. "The only ones he even remotely cares about are his personal students, and he thinks of them nothing more than loyal animals. Usually, he just lets us go about with our business, only coming around when he wants someone dead. But whenever someone turns or tries to run, he sees it as a personal offense. He's not right in the head - where other leaders would likely leave you alone after you make it out of the state, he goes to extremes. I've definitely seen that happen… more than once."

"But is he worse than Templars?"

"-it's likely that the only reason he isn't one of them is because he hates religion of any sort, or anything to do with it. If anything, that's the only thing he has the right mindset about, trust me."

We stayed silent for a bit. Having finally gotten that off my chest, I managed to think a bit more coolly, musing over what Ezio told me. Larry was a man of skill and brilliance, no doubt about it. But if I compared him with Ezio, myself, or any other assassin from the past I knew of...

Was he more astute in the various methods of psychological control than Niccolo Machiavelli? Did he patiently scheme with as much enthusiasm as Antonio? Was he as dangerous hand-to-hand as Bartolomeo? Was he as cunning and unwavering as Teodora? Or nearly as cleverly resourceful as Paola? Could he strategically launch a full scale attack on the enemy with as much ease as Mario? Could he command the unwavering loyalty of his underlings with even half the charm of La Volpe?

Could he dare hold a candle to passionate ingenuity of Leonardo?

Sure, he was more twisted and cruel in his methods. But not necessarily smarter. Or better in a fight. Maybe there was a chance that I was mislead by my fear of my former teacher...

"Eden, I promise that for every bit of suffering he brought you, I will make sure he gets it back tenfold," Ezio promised me quietly, likely seeing the conflict in my face. The words made me melt a little at the sincerity in his voice. I suddenly realized that during the conversation, I ended up in his arms, his face close to mine. How the hell did he always manage to do that? In another lifetime, I would've accused him ulterior motives. But now, I knew better.

"That's not playing fair, you know," I glared at him, still trying to concentrate as his lips played along my cheek, a millimeter away from mine. He smirked.

"Anything to keep your mind off the grim subject."

"I won't fight that," I grinned he captured my mouth with a soft kiss.

"Feel better?" he whispered against my lips when he finally pulled away for air, his warm breath coming hitching with need. I quietly huffed into his neck, dropping my forehead onto his shoulder. His heartbeat thrumming in my ears lent more comfort than anything else at the moment.

"You could have done that in the first place."

"Hey, I was right here the entire time. You could have taken advantage at any moment," he reminded me, and I could feel his grin in my hair. I still smiled, though, allowing myself to nearly collapse into his arms.

"I'm just...I hate being here again," I mumbled. "All of this is just not what I am anymore. I think was born in the wrong century, and being here just feels all...weird."

"Maybe you were born in the wrong era. I think the Apple can provide quite a few more answers, then." I pulled back to stare at him for a moment.

"The Apple?"

"It seems to want to help, anyway. And there's been strange things happening. Call me insane, but sometimes I hear voices that appear out of thin air. And once, my Eagle Vision went all wrong, showing me things and images that…weren't, well, _there_."

"You too?" I raised my eyebrows. He blinked in surprise, and I blushed slightly. "When I was in Milan, I kept on hearing someone, as if from memory…but it wasn't a memory I even remember having – God, what a mess we're in..."

"Tell me about it," he kissed my forehead, and let me go just as I felt Jake turning the corner towards us. He didn't seem to have bought anything, and his face looked like a black cloud, ready to shoot lightening.

"What's up?" I immediately asked, as he straddled his bike, gesturing for us to do the same.

"Garrett rang."

I paled. The game started faster than we could have expected...

"He said we have an hour before they give chase. I threw the phone out, but they likely already caught the signal."

"How?" Ezio raised his eyebrows. A very long time ago, when we were back in Florence, and before we made our way to Venice for the first time, I'd proved to him that I wasn't of my era. Pulling out my cell, I briefly told him how phones worked. I never bothered going into the detail, not expecting that I'd ever get back to a point where phones were actually usable.

"Phones give off a signal-"

"A what-?"

"Just…let me explain," I stopped him, though I couldn't blame him for immediately questioning everything. Many aspects of this must have been like being on another planet for him. "It's easily traceable…through the air. I won't get into how it's possible, but trust me, it is," I said to his stunned expression. "All you need to realize is that now they know which way we went."

"Let's get to your sister, then," he nodded to the motorbike, "The more time we have to spare, the better."

We were quickly back on the road. It was another forty five minutes on the highway, almost straight southwest. Dodging the frequent cars added another five, but my panic was slowly growing with each imaginary tick of the clock. Ezio finally got used to the motorcycle, and was likely even enjoying the speed of movement, while Jake's grim expression didn't change during the entire trip. I kept my eyes strictly on the road, and focused only on Ezio's warm presence behind me, making sure my mind did not wander to exactly what would happen when Larry caught us and my sister...

Eve.

What the hell was I going to tell her?

* * *

Jamesburg was a small town. With its houses spread out, the streets wide enough for an elephant, it just screamed idyllic countryside. It was contrastingly different from New York, Florence and Venice, reminding me more of the lands near Forli, though not nearly as swampy. The pace of life of similar though, at least between a busy city and the rural suburbs. It was decent enough, but very quiet. Likely, it was probably one of those towns where everybody knew everybody, and new faces were greeted with suspicion and curiosity.

We left the bikes outside of the town, as we didn't want to make too much noise, and entered on foot. Ezio was still looking around with curiosity, but soon began muttering something about, "lack of charm". I could understand what he meant - the houses were built for convenience, and had little distinguishing traits to them. They were just plain and boring, only the gardens deserving any sort of attention. But aside from that, there was hardly anything special. It was completely unlike the tall, painted and sculpted churches of Europe, and recognizable red and yellow palazzos of Venice.

"How are we going to find her?" I noticed how Jake was growing more nervous as time went, and that scared me a little more. I'd never seen him that agitated. People were throwing us glances out their windows, and a few neighbors got together over fences to stare at the three intruders. A few children paused in their games, but then went straight back to them, and an old lady followed us with her eyes from her porch.

"There has to be a bar around somewhere. Even though Eve is still underage, there's got to be someone that saw her around."

And there was a bar, which was definitely more crowded than the rest of the town. It was nearly evening, and men were coming in to celebrate another day over. Inside, I glanced at Jake, and he nodded slightly, separating from us and venturing towards the bar. I swept the room with a glance before we followed, though.

There were a few old men sitting at a table in the very back, likely gossiping; a good source of information, but unsafe. Two men, likely lumberjacks or something of the like, laughed loudly before clunking together glass tankards of beer. A definite no. A few girls were flirting with some guy at the bar, and I decided it would just be rude to interrupt. Jake occupied the barkeeper already.

I sighed, and pulled Ezio over to the bar anyway- all the tables were taken by loud customers. Leaning onto the table beside my friend, I rested my chin on my hand.

"Anything?"

"There's no one by the name Eve Cleare," Jake threw back a shot. I wasn't worried yet - he was no lightweight, and I felt the need to take a few myself.

"Obviously. She must have changed her name a few times," I rubbed my eyelids in thought. Having a sister like me would ensure that she'd take serious measures against being found.

"We're running out of time," he reminded me, and I nodded my head.

"There's no Eve in town," the barkeep barked. He'd watched the three of us out the corner of his eye since we walked in, just as wary of shady newcomers as the rest of town. "But there is some weird girl that looks a lot like you. Except for the eyes, hers are green." My head snapped up so fast my neck creaked. "Came in here a few times, got a drink, left without a word. Strange one. What do you need her for? Long lost relative?"

"Exactly that," I confirmed grimly. "Where can I find her?"

"She lives on the edge of town, in that old hotel, as if just visiting, though she's been around for a few months. Just ask around."

"Thanks. We were never here." I shoved a few bills towards him, and pushed off the table. He shrugged.

"Secretive bunch, you people. Fine, whatever you say."

The clock was still ticking, and our hour had run out- the game began. I knew that they'd need an hour to reach us, but in the end, they would, and pick up our trail again one way or another. There were plenty of people here who would talk, either for the hell of it, or at the hands of bribes or threats.

* * *

The hotel that we were pointed towards was a rickety, two-story building with a faded sign and a grumpy, overweight lady at the register. She glared at the newcomers, easily picking up on Jake's leather jacket and gang appearance, and our anxiety. Still, she got out an old dusty book from under the desk, and thumped in onto the table.

"Names?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Er. We're not-" I began, but she didn't let me finish.

"Then what do you want?"

"We're looking for someone," Ezio cut in, gracing the woman with a warm, magnetic smile. Looking at him, she immediately dropped the frown, and raised her eyebrows in attentiveness. If not for our desperate situation, I would've been quietly laughing at how easily he turned up the charm, even nearly five hundred years out of his time. "A woman that lives here, brown hair, green eyes, sort of quiet?"

It didn't even take the woman a moment to figure out who we were talking about, though it took me a bit longer to wonder how the hell he knew what Eve looked like. "Laura? You just missed her, she checked out an hour ago."

Ezio's hand immediately clasped on mine, stopping my frustrated retort. "Did she say where she was going?"

"No, she didn't, but she headed south."

"Thank you very much, we won't take any more of your time," Ezio continued to smile, giving the woman a little bow, and then all but towed me and Jake out.

"What are we going to do?" I slapped my forehead, and then ran my hand forcefully through my hair, continuing to walk south down the road, not really caring that I didn't know where or how to get anywhere. "Damn that girl, where could she possibly go? We have to find her before they do! We have no time left!"

"Eden, please, calm-"

"No, Ezio, I won't calm down!" I retorted in nearly snarled frustration, "Because if we don't find her before Larry does, she's going to die! This is my baby sister we're talking-"

"Jesus, Eden. Nice to know you still think of me that way."

My rant stopped mid sentence as I became frozen to the ground. And then slowly, I turned around, almost unbelieving.

"Hey," I finally breathed after I realized that it was not just my mind playing tricks on me.

"Hey yourself. It's been a while," Eve greeted with a nonchalant roll of her shoulders, "And about time you three showed up."


	36. Chapter 35

**A/N- **I am sorry to announce that I am taking yet another break from writing- I need to gather my thoughts, because at the moment, they are all over the place, not to mention I'm falling a bit behind on the writing. I grovel at your feet and beg for forgiveness, but I promise that this story isn't dead, and I will start updating again in about three weeks.

Also, I ask you not to judge Eve too harshly. Considering she was raped at the age of thirteen, she has every right to be mistrustful of males in general except for the obviously harmless ones, as some people as traumatized to the point they cannot stand to be in the same room with men for years. And the thing with Eden became more a matter of pride rather than actual grudge. So... just be patient with her.

* * *

I think a full minute passed, yet I couldn't stop staring at my sister.

There were, of course, times where I'd stop to wonder what she looked like. I knew that we looked alike when we were children, but things may or may not have changed. Wondering about her always brought on a new wave of both frustration and guilt. And yet, there she was, my biggest regret, standing in front of me. Suddenly, I had no idea where we stood anymore.

Her hair had grown very long, currently pulled into a loose pony tail that fell in a small waterfall of soft brown curls. Her face was mature, unmarked by scars, and nearly flawless. Like me, the skin was porcelain, the sharp eyebrows contrasting with the light complexion. But that's where the similarities ended. Looking at her, I don't think any man would be able to find something to complain about. But to me, she looked so much like mom used to, it literally almost took my breath away. The only difference was her dark, forest green eyes, so uncannily like our father's. Well, that and the absence of an angelic smile that was always on Mom's lips.

She surveyed me with just as much curiosity, but when she finally met my eyes, they were bitter, sad, and even nearly incensed. I found myself unable to stare back, which, in and of itself was unusual.

Absently, I noted that now I was much older than her; while she remained nineteen, I was already twenty three, having spent three years in what seemed like another, better reality.

"You look like you've seen a ghost," she muttered, her voice mocking and cold. I found myself frowning before I could catch myself. For I learned long ago that with Eve, there was no hiding. "But never mind that now… lets get out of this mess you've made, first."

"What do you mean that _I _made?" I retorted, though my voice was barely above a whisper, "And how do _you_ know about it?"

"Now is really not the time," she grumbled, already heading towards a little indigo car that was still running. As she got into the drivers seat, I circled around and climbed inside without hesitation.

Ezio, looking a bit unsure, tentatively followed Jake into the back. From the review mirror, I could see him gingerly touching everything, from the window, to the seat, to the door handle. Running his hand along the interior, he stared at it, as though it would suddenly speak and tell him its secrets. Thank God he never seemed too superstitious. Otherwise, he'd likely be tossing out accusations of witchcraft at every little thing that crossed his vision in this era.

Rolling his eyes, Jake speedily attempted to reach over Ezio and strap him in with the seatbelt. But Ezio narrowed his eyes, hand flying out to snatch Jake's wrist in midair. A feat that was in itself impressive to those who knew Jake. "What are doing, _amico?"_

"Assuming that last word wasn't an insult," Jake tried to vainly yank his wrist from his grip, and seemed genuinely surprised when he failed. "I'm putting on your seatbelt."

"_Che cosa?"_

"Eden?" Jake snorted, meeting my eyes in the rear-view mirror, "Translation for the pretty boy?"

"I'm not pretty, _boy," _Ezio grit, hand tightening so quickly around Jake's wrist that he winced, his eyes widening at how fast the assassin moved, "And it means 'What.' As in 'What is this?'" he tugged at the seatbelt, dropping Jake's wrist.

"Oh, I'll be sure to use a more _manly_ term in the fut-"

"The car goes extremely fast, Ezio, compared to… what you're used to," I quickly said, cutting off the cutting remark, my gaze snapping to Eve as she made various sounds of annoyance. "So if we get into an accident, you don't want to go flying out the window and possibly to your death. Think of this as a carriage," I waved, "A _very _fast one. With a breakable window in front."

"Now see?" Ezio pointed at me, smirk in place as he snapped the seatbelt together himself, figuring out what to do quickly, "That wasn't so hard, now was it,_ amico?"_

"Asshole," Jake muttered, flexing his fingers and rubbing his wrist. "I'm not trying to murder you, you imbecile, you could at least-"

"Play nice," I snapped again. The men were not getting along very well, I noted, though I already was barely paying attention at this point, somehow I knew that if it weren't for me, Jake would be threatening to slice up Ezio's "pretty face" via some creative and very violent way, a threat after which Ezio would likely stab him in the throat with one of his hidden blades. Thankfully, he wasn't wearing either of them at the moment. Because if I was a betting woman, I'd put my money on Ezio getting the drop on him first. Nothing personal to Jake, but Ezio was…not to be trifled with, be it in his own era or mine. Not to mention that after putting Jake's life at risk, I'd really rather him make it out in good health.

"Where are going?" I asked sharply, getting away from the two dangerous men bantering between themselves and onto business.

"Anywhere," Eve shrugged, driving out onto the road and out of town. "Your friends will be here in five minutes."

"What?"

"The big one didn't feel like waiting for your boss' say so."

"Garrett never had much self-control," Jake grumbled with distaste.

Inside the gang, we kept an air of...say, unwilling comrades. We worked together more often than not, and could rely on anyone for help, but we still bitterly hated each other. Garrett and Jake were always arguing and fighting, Millie was my self-proclaimed rival, and Kyle and Jordan just watched from the outside with arrogance and irritation. In a way, it was a good strategy that Larry worked out. In case one of us decided to leave "illegally," the others would jump at the chance to kill him. The younger members were no exception, as a lot of the training also taught them to hate the teachers.

As for Jake and me? Well, I suppose you could say we were a special case. He, despite his somewhat scary appearance and hoarse voice, was actually a better person than some. At first, I had a sense of debt to him. But after saving his ass a few times, we settled on friendship. Larry looked down on it, but didn't interfere, though in vein- if he kept to his methods, slipping past his fingers would have been a lot harder. Not to mention we'd have one more person on our tail.

"We don't have time to cover our tracks," I noted.

Jake agreed. "If we can get away fast enough, and then find somewhere to lay low-"

"I know a place. I've arranged everything." Eve was amazingly calm in the situation, driving along the road exactly at the speed limit, as if not rushing at all.

"But how-"

"When we get there," she shushed me again, and I threw Ezio a helpless look. He shrugged, showing that he had just about the same level of understanding as me.

We continued driving, and I couldn't help but throw frequent glances in the rear-view mirror. A few times my heart jumped painfully when I thought I saw Garret's car, but then I calmed myself down. At one point, realized I was just being paranoid, and I had better things to focus on_. Like the fact that it's my sister! Right there, within a meter of my reach for the first time in years!_

My excitement soon waned, however, as she spared me no more looks, remaining coolly distant. Eve turned corners, sped up and slowed down a few times, as if following some internal instructions, though nearly straining her eyes to look at the flashing highway signs. A breath of frustration, and then one of thought as she turned to a pebbled road.

"What are you doing?" Ezio was the first to break the silence. "Going to the country? You have an estate there?"

At the mention of an "estate," Jake shot him a look of disbelief and utter confusion, almost as if silently saying "Where the hell did you drop from?"

"We won't get far in this weather, Ezio," Eve replied to him without turning. All three of us looked outside the windows at the same time. But aside from a few nasty clouds, I didn't understand what she meant.

Then I realized that she just called Ezio by name and they were not even introduced yet. "How do you know-"

"I know a lot of things," she cut me off. "I know their names," she nodded to the back seat, "I know where you've been, and I know where you come from. Now be quiet because I want to get to shelter before it starts raining."

"Raining?"

Indeed, the rainclouds formed within moments over our heads, thick and glowing an unfriendly dark gray. The first drops made themselves known, splashing onto the windshield forcefully. After the first few, however, it was like some mischievous god overturned an endless bucket of water over our location. Vision was obscured, the lights of other cars were guessed, rather than seen. The ground under the tires quickly became soft and muddy.

But we already made it to Eve's destination. It happened to be a large house hidden from sight by thick trees, the sign in front of which offered vacancy. I concluded it was a guest house or a lodge of some sort, likely housing passing hunters and people like us that got caught by bad weather.

"I've been accounting on this for weeks now. I even had to resurface just so you'd pick up my trail," Eve threw in, though that answered almost none of my questions.

"Can you at least tell us where the hell we're headed?" I finally asked, as I considered that we "got there." She glanced at me out of the corner of her eyes, and shrugged.

"A small community five hours northwest of here. It's well-hidden, so the trick is finding it. We'll spend the night here while the thugs pick up a false trail that was laid out."

"A false-" Jake repeated, shocked. "How the hell did you know we were coming?"

"Ask Eden, she was the one to give me this thing," Eve snapped, her patience even shorter with him than with me. Her hand reached up to her collar, and she pulled out a thin, golden chain. A glittering pendant in shape of a leaf with a tiny snake coiled around it at a strange angle dangled gently, glinting from a non-existent light source.

* * *

The owners of the hotel were a polite middle-aged couple, who greeted us warmly and without questions. As the landlady mentioned in the process of showing us the rooms upstairs, they made their home into a hotel once all their children left for college. That left many rooms unoccupied, the inside nice and neat. Despite the rain pouring outside, the house looked cozy and welcoming. Even the pleasant smell of freshly-baked cookies was in the air.

Though it was Eve who brought us to the lodge in the first place, I was the one paying. I didn't mind, as I had more than enough money saved up that I cared nothing for. Not to mention, Mrs. White (the landlady) was almost pleased to receive cash instead of a check or credit.

"There's not many people going through here this season," she explained as she showed us around upstairs, "But it's nice to have people in the house again. I'm making dinner in about an hour. You should be able to find everything in the bathroom and wardrobes, but and if you need anything at all, don't hesitate to ask."

I smiled sincerely at the woman, feeling that she was not just being polite - she was one of those people that enjoyed taking care of others and making people happy. Her husband was an interesting combination of a seasonal hunter and painter, his workshop set up away from the house as to not spread the smell of paint and blood. He was a pleasant man, however. Eager for a conversation, or better yet, a friendly argument, he seemed to put everyone at immediate ease.

Ezio seemed a bit surprised by the contrast of this home with my apartment. But ever since the seatbelt incident, he learned to hide his curiosity better. Jake calmed down as well. No longer jumping at any sudden sound, or tossing out insults to the "pretty boy," he seemed to be falling into his regular self. While Eve... she just looked business-like the entire time.

_Well, what was I expecting? That she'd squeal about it being a long time and how she missed me, ask me how I've been, and then wonder when the wedding date is?_ I mentally cursed myself for the tiny bit of hope that I felt.

Ezio and I got the larger room, with a wide bed. But I didn't even mind sleeping on the floor if it meant we would be safe, something that Eve assured us we were for the next five hours. When asked to elaborate, she just told us to get cleaned up and reorganized.

"I get this feeling," I growled, dumping my bag onto the bed, searching through it. Almost out of habit, I expected to see the usual things in it, like a first aid kit, knives, clothing, a pouch filled with gold florins. It took a second for me to remember that bag remained on the bed in Venice of the fifteenth century. All I found in this one was the stuff I shoved in it on a quick sweep around my apartment. "-that she's just stalling."

"She's an ally," Ezio shrugged, carefully sitting down onto the deep red comforter on the bed, "_And_ she's your sister, so I don't think she's leading us into a trap."

"I meant, she likely doesn't even know how to begin explain all this." I tugged my laptop out, letting it bounce briefly onto the bed. I glanced at the bottle of vodka with some temptation, but sighed, and let it stay in its spot. Never know when we might need a disinfectant. And I'd quit drinking. Or rather, I wouldn't say no to ale or wine when friends offered, but just stop drinking to the point of a stupor. To tell the truth, I never really needed to in the past two years. "Or she just likes toying with our curiosity," I continued, glancing over the laptop screen and meeting Ezio's gaze, "Though I never observed that trait in Eve, she could have changed over the years."

"She seems...reasonable enough. I mean, I almost expected thunder and lightning, from your descriptions of her," he arched a doubtful brow.

"As did I," I pressed my lips into a thin line, "Or at least some sort of surprise, or at the very least, you know, _care_. I was already thinking how the hell we were going to talk her into moving, and then she goes and does a stunt like this. Almost kills the purpose of coming to rescue her, no?"

"Are _you_ okay?" he gently asked, watching as I set up the laptop on the small table. It'd been so long, it took a little bit to remember where everything went.

"I'm just fine." My voice didn't really show it - it was a bit more high pitched and uneven than usual. "Did I at least expect some sort of reaction from her? Yes, but maybe it's better this way. Maybe I was just stupid to think I can still fix anything between us..."

"Come now, she's still family," he quickly said, "I'm sure she'll come to. Maybe she just needs a bit of - what _are_ you doing?" he pointed at laptop as I clacked away on the keys.

"Huh? Oh. This is a computer." The vaguely familiar loading screen finally appeared, and the laptop began to whir. "Remember the T.V.?"

"The soul-box? _Si_..." He came over to hang over my shoulder, curious, but no longer threatened by the technology.

"Well, it's sort of like that. Except it does a lot more than show stuff. I can use it to play games, write documents, and check the internet-"

"Inter…net?"

"_And_ before you ask," I quickly continued, "The internet is like archives. But you can pick what you want to find, from a distance. It's like a library of sorts, as I can find just about anything there."

"That's… useful."

"Mmm. I thought I'd check a few things out, like what happened in the three weeks that I was missing."

"Wait, so can you find _any_ sort of information?"

"Well, yes, just about. As a fairly new saying goes, if someone out there thought about it, its on the internet," I left the Rule 34 part out, just in case. Delighted to find connection, I loaded up the browser. The laptop was fairly new since I only bought it about six months before I disappeared, so it snapped to attention without problems.

"Hm. The wonders of the human imagination," Ezio mumbled with fascination. "Leonardo would find this astounding," he fleetingly smiled.

"You're friends with him and you're still surprised?" I smirked at him, and he grinned in reply, "But you're right, humans can create really strange stuff sometimes. And yet it becomes just another aspect of our daily lives. Anyway, computers are really Jake's forte - he's very good at getting into places that you're not supposed to be, while I only remember how to do a basic search... Hm."

"And what have you found?" Ezio asked, staring at the screen. He reached out to touch it, withdrawing as though surprised to find his fingers still intact.

I scanned through the dates and news. "Not much has changed, it seems. It's almost strange...just petty crimes, minor bills. But nothing major seems to be happening, in America or the rest of the world. I don't think they've ever gone one week without reporting some sort of terrorists or something about an oil spill."

"Oil?" Ezio asked. "Or perhaps I should just take what you say as true," he grinned at seeing my expression at his constant questions. "That's not good," he nodded to the laptop, understanding my suspicions; there was always something happening, and if there wasn't, we just didn't see it yet.

"It's like the calm before a storm," I chewed on my lip, going back to the search engine. "How about..." I typed in "Abstergo." My father mentioned it in one of the scenes we viewed in the Apple, when he said he was going to go to Europe to "investigate."

"Are you thinking of revenge?" Ezio asked, gaze narrowed. I didn't blame him, considering he'd understandably made such his life's mission. I would have as well, but I shook my head. We had more important things to do, after all. Besides, did I have the desire to hunt down the reason of my father's death? Strangely enough, no. Don't get me wrong, I hated the fact that he was taken away from us and that his departure made everything literally go havoc, but... It's been a long time. What's done is done. I just wanted to focus on the mistakes I could still fix.

"I'm not quite that suicidal. As far as I can tell, it's a huge company with plenty of power and contacts in the right places."

"_Si_. I'd really rather deal with this mess with Larry and your sister. At least before we go and have someone else coming after us in an attempt to kill us."

The company was a medical research group, with a distinct triangle for a logo. Stationed all over Europe and North America, they developed and tested drugs and chemicals. Almost a completely innocent cause, if you didn't bother to look beneath the surface. Of course they couldn't exactly put up "Templar Central" on the front page. That _may_ arise suspicion, though that was just my thoughts.

"You know, I'm surprised at you, actually," I suddenly turned to him. He raised his eyebrows in question. "I thought for sure you'd ask me if we can search up history and dates."

He chuckled, leaning down to place a kiss on my forehead, amused by my assumption. "That's not really necessary. As Federico liked to say, 'What's life without its surprises?'" he smiled.

"You know, I'm really sorry I didn't get to meet him," I placed a hand over his, "He sounds like someone I'd like," I said before thinking. His smile faltered a bit, and he sighed.

"Oh, he was," he gave my hand a light squeeze, before withdrawing. "At one point I thought you'd like him better than me."

"Why? Is he more charming and handsome than you? How is that even possible?" I quietly chuckled, pressing a hand to his cheek, gently tracing over the scar that crossed it. Taking it, he pressed his lips to my palm. I felt a familiar twinge of warmth in my stomach at the gesture when I realized he kissed the burnt mark of my left ring finger.

"Well, let's not get carried away here," the laugh seemed a bit false, "Of course not, but he was older than me. You know, closer to your age. Not that he showed it, though. A natural lay-about. Couldn't get through a single day of work without disappearing from the bank at odd hours. Guess it's no wonder he finally got removed from the payroll..."

I smiled at the fondness in his voice as he remembered his brother. For the first time in as long as I could remember, he seemed able to talk of his family without the heartrending sorrow that seemed to slash through him every time. I knew he would always bear the scar, but it was healing. Though it brought my mind back to my own sibling, who was still pointedly ignoring me.

"Where are you going?" he raised an eyebrow, surprised as I suddenly stood up, my hand slipping out of his, and headed out the door with determination written on my face.

"To get answers out of Eve," I said darkly.

Oh, there would be blood tonight if I didn't get the answers I wanted.

* * *

Eve's room was slightly smaller than ours, and seemed to have been remade from a nursery. The walls were a light, sky-blue color, the curtains white and transparent. Eve was lying on the bed, her arms thrown behind her head and her eyes staring thoughtfully at the ceiling. Biting her frowning lips slightly was her usual sign that she was in deep thought. As I entered, her eyes flickered to me once, and then went back to decoding the apparently invisible messages in the ceiling. She didn't even turn her head, or acknowledge my presence in any other way.

Oh, that's just _awesome._

I suddenly wasn't sure how to start. Have you ever tried to get a single pickle out of a jar? Easy, right? Well, what if the jar was full, and they were all trying to get out all at once? My thoughts were exactly like those stubborn pickles, locking sides with each other, and preventing me from asking a coherent question.

After a few moments, she finally snapped. "Is there something you need?"

I scratched my nose, not impressed by the icy tone. "Well, explaining how the hell you knew that we were coming to look for you on this specific date would be nice," I sarcastically replied. I had enough games and shushing. Oh, the _shushing_...

Her eyes stayed on me for another second, noticing the change in my attitude. Then she let out a humph sound. "Fine," she sniffed, curling her lip with derision, until I snapped her a look of warning. At least I still had the power of being the older sibling.

"The Talisman told me exactly when you get back to this time, ruffle feathers again, and go looking for me for one reason or another. Satisfied?"

_How the hell can she be so matter-of-fact about this?_

"No! That doesn't answer anything," I waved my hands around in added confusion, "Just adds more questions!"

"It's what you asked," she shrugged. The code on the ceiling was more interesting than my confusion.

I nearly growled with frustration. "Where are we going?"

"A community. I said that before, haven't I?"

"Why are we going there?" God, this was turning out to be like a long, drawn-out, root canal. Except I had to restrain myself from strangling a certain someone. A certain someone with a very annoying attitude.

"Because there's someone who wants to see you."

That made me stop dead, processing. Someone wants to see me? I knew she wasn't lying. And based on my instinct, she was still an ally, so she was hardly taking me to see enemies. But who would want to "Wait, The Talisman? Is that what you call it? That's the pedant I gave to you after-"

"Your first kill? A man by the name Tyler Beck, am I right?" she raised her eyebrows. I frowned. I didn't remember telling her that. Then I recalled the specific memory of my father talking to Tyler, about passing the artifact on and him having to die for it to happen. "You guessed right, it's a Piece of Eden. One of the few that's not used for power over people's minds, but nonetheless important."

"-you know I went back in time?"

"You were never this slow." I was not sure how to take that statement. "Yes, I know everything about that. I know who you and Ezio are, I know about the Apple, and our parents, the Assassins and Templars. Or, more specifically, the Talisman knows, and chooses to share with me. Are you done with the interrogation? I was sort of enjoying the peace and quiet."

I blinked. Now instead of frustration, there was curiosity, though Eve's glare showed that she didn't want to talk to me any longer than she had to.

"Fine, last question." I thought for a moment about which of my very many questions I should pick. Then I sighed. "Who do you work as?"

"Excuse me?" she finally turned her head towards me, a look of bewilderment on her pretty face. I didn't reply, as the question was fairly obvious. "I- I suppose you can say I help people. As a doctor, mostly."

"That's not possible," I automatically said, running the mental calculation. She was only nineteen - there was no way she could have finished the required education to be a doctor. As if she read my mind, she snorted loudly. Turning her head away from me to look out the window at the forest that neighbored the house, she seemed momentarily mesmerized by the thick curtain of rain pouring down.

"The artifact taught me everything I needed to know. Plus, it has healing powers." The last sentence was dropped like a dismissal, and I knew that my "audience" was over. Even though it still made little sense. But I would be getting no further answers.

_Spoiled princess. _I resisted the urge to slam the door as I left, remembering the nice couple downstairs. _How things have changed._

I stood still for a bit in the well-lit and decorated hallway, chewing my lip and trying to get my frustrated thoughts into order. Business, survival. That was all that this was to her. I knew it would do no good to beg her for forgiveness, nor would my pride allow it. And forgiveness for what? Trying to protect a family that was steadily falling apart? I knew that I shouldn't have done what I did, but it's not as if I planned for my mother's death. It's not like I_ wanted_ to become a killer for an insane maniac. Survival… wasn't it the most base of human instincts?

After a moment, I let out a silent, calming breath. Even if I didn't mean to do any of it, it still happened. And there was no changing that. Might as well put it away from my mind until we finished - whatever it is that we were trying to accomplish. No matter, though, I trusted her when she said we were safe for the night. Though just sitting around worrying about things was definitely far from healthy.

...and what was that wonderfully mouth-watering smell?

* * *

After Eden hadn't come back from her talk with Eve, Ezio began to grow a little concerned that they ended up fighting. Really, he didn't understand very well how two siblings could be so cold towards each other. Especially when he thought about Federico, who he was the closest to in his family. Sure, they all had arguments and fights at one point or another, but none of them ever stuck. His family was his core, and no bitterness or enmity flowed between them. He parents, who loved each other unconditionally. Federico, his dearest friend. Claudia, who he protected and laughed with. And dear Petruccio, always in high spirits, despite his constant illness, in whose memory he continued to collect white feathers. Even Mario, who took him in at his most dire hour, training him and granting him his inheritance where his father could no longer do so. He owed his uncle his life.

But seeing the tense silence between two people who looked so alike? Knowing that they were sisters, yet not having one warm word pass between them? It was utterly bizarre.

He remembered Eden commenting once on how family bonds were a lot more easily ripped apart in the "modern" times than during his own time. But he almost refused to truly believe the concept until now. After all, family were the closest people one could ever have. Secretly, he even hoped that perhaps things were not so bad. That the only reason the two women haven't spoke in so long was because of pride and a grudge. That the bonds still held, frayed, but ultimately undamaged. But looking at the way Eve refused to even look at Eden properly, Eden taking no step to apologize, even if just to be official...his hope became bleak.

Ezio got tired of his own curiosity pretty quickly. The world was extremely different than anything he could have imagined in the most drunken sleep. But there were only so many surprises and shocks, he finally decided that there were too many to really take in all at once. After all, were the curtains not the same as in his time? The bed was a bit more...springy and softer, perhaps, but the pillows and blankets were nothing new. After clicking on the "light switch" as Eden called it, and watching the little sun go on and off like magic, he became used to it. And also bored.

Ezio quickly realized Eden was not coming back to the room just yet, and decided to go explore for a bit. He did not remember her cautioning him against it. Even if she did, he was certain he could take care of himself. And what was there to attack, anyway? The middle aged lady seemed perfectly harmless. Unless she was going to run at him with a knife, which he highly doubted, she seemed hardly the type to harbor ill-feelings or criminals.

"Hey, you," he was called as soon as he stepped out of the door. Stopping mid-step, he twisted towards the voice, tensing slightly. "Damn, you're a jumpy one, aren't you?" the laughing voice echoed around him. Ezio quickly found himself instinctively flicking his wrist, snapping out the phantom hidden blade. Except he wasn't wearing it.

But it was just Jake, the man seemingly sticking his head out into the hallway a split-second after Ezio. Jake looked perfectly at ease, his face completely neutral, though it seemed as if he was concealing curiosity. Ezio noted that aside from quick flashes of fear at the mention of Larry, and surprise when Eden dumped on him the fact that she traveled through time, he showed as much feeling as a statue.

He raised an questioning eyebrow. "I have a name, you realize. And it's not 'Hey you,' _amico."_

"There you go with that fancy language of yours," Jake parried with a twitch of distaste on his lips, "As for your name? Well, you could have fooled me… now get over here; I have a few questions, now that the girls are not here."

Crossing his arms and leaning against the wall, Ezio refused to move, daring Jake to ask him again with a raised eyebrow. His gaze flickering over him with icy, predatory observation, he smirked as Jake rolled his eyes, breaking eye contact. He'd won that standoff. While he trusted that Eden trusted him, and his intuition didn't give any reason to think otherwise, he had absolutely no reason to give the gang member any sort of upper hand. Especially considering he didn't particularly feel like accommodating anyone at the moment.

"Fine," Jake shrugged, "I was only trying to make nice-"

"What do you want?" Ezio quickly cut him off.

"Like a said, just curious, that's all." Sizing him up again for good measure, Ezio finally relented, though he nearly swaggered over to Jake's room.

He stepped away from the doorway, allowing Ezio inside. "So what exactly are you?" It was a strange question. Not "who," and sort of like questioning the obvious.

"Well, I'm _Ezio__," _he slowly said, as though speaking to a particularly stupid child, "So I believe that makes me a human."

"We already established that," Jake wrinkled his nose, stuffing his hands into the pockets of his pants. His leather jacket was discarded on the bed, leaving him in a simple black shirt and jeans, some sort of wide silver bracelet hugging his wrist. Looking closer, Ezio realized it was a miniature clock, like the ones on churches and towers. Somehow, it miraculously ran on its own. "Where did you come from, I mean. And how do you know Eden?"

Ezio finally realized why the guy was sharper with him now rather than earlier. Obviously, he didn't trust him on his own. For all he knew, Ezio was a random man off the streets, using Eden to...that wasn't clear. But the fact remained, Jake didn't know the part where they knew each other for three years already. Or the part where they were engaged.

"Those aren't really questions I can answer without you thinking I'm completely… insane," Ezio settled, slightly unsure how to proceed. He remembered his own reaction to finding out time-travel was possible. He was skeptically disbelieving until Eden managed to prove it to him.

"I already think you both are nuts, along with her sister. Stop playing games-"

"Stop assuming I am," Ezio grinned, though his voice was low and laced with warning.

"Alright then," Jake grit, "Have it your way-"

"Oh it usually is," Ezio carelessly shrugged. He could see Jake flex his fingers, his expression deepening into a scowl. But after a few deep breathes he seemed a bit calmer. Neither of them were this hostile when Eden was with them, but it was still no surprise. Both were alpha-males, if from completely different aspects and times, so it was no wonder that they seem a bit... discontent with each others presence and arrogance.

"_Anyway, _you mentioned something about the fifteenth century. What is that, another gang?"

"No, we literally meant the fifteenth century," Ezio smirked, feeling strangely smug about it. "And no offense, but I don't like this place too much. How did you manage to dirty a city up so much? Truly, with such wonders in technology, I expected something a bit more...clean."

There was a long silence. Finally Jake snorted. "Fine, I couldn't care less, really. If you don't want to tell me, I get it. Don't play me for a kid though, that's a sure way to lose a few teeth."

"Speak for yourself," Ezio nearly hissed, shoulders squared. Trust or no, Ezio didn't like the way this man easily threw around a threat like that. In his time, such things could quickly escalate into a duel to the death. He wasn't sure of how the rules went here, but honestly, he didn't give a damn at the moment. Let him attack. He's gladly add another painful scar to that face, should he so be inclined.

Jake shot him a look of disbelief at his quick reaction. Fist balled at his sides, he suddenly remembered that Eden would likely not take kindly to him breaking her guest's nose. That seemed to have some influence, because he relaxed again, holding his hands up in a peace-making gesture. "So, how do you even fit into this story?" he almost completely restated his earlier question from a different perspective.

"Well," he slowly began, previous caution reserved for a bit, "To tell the truth, I'm not sure. All I know is that this _figlio di una carne-"_

"What?"

"'Son of a bitch'" Ezio smirked, translating. Arching a brow, Jake nearly grinned in reply, waving for him to continue. "All I know is that this Larry character chasing after us is the reason Eden can't sleep properly at night. So of course, I want him dead as much as her."

There was a long silence in which Jake was staring at him, as if trying to figure out what he was thinking. Ezio just crossed his arms again, not bothered in the slightest.

Finally, Jake did the last thing that Ezio expected - he threw his head back and laughed. The braying noise reminded him strangely of a hoarse bark- the man was more used to smirking and chuckling, but not sincerely laughing in good humor. "Well, pretty boy, so you managed to get her cold heart to melt. Amazing, considering the last guy to do that died shortly afterward. I hope you're not going the same way?" There was actual concern for Eden in his voice. Ezio furrowed his eyebrows as he wondered at how protective Jake was acting towards Eden. And then he mused over the words themselves.

_Cold heart? She wasn't that bad._

"I really have no intention of dying, if that's what you mean," Ezio rolled his eyes. "I've been through worse, I can assure you."

"Well, then, just the usual speech." Jake cleared his throat, and took menacing stance, his voice nearly booming as he warned, "Hurt her, I'll kick pull your intestines from your ass and feed them to you."

And then, Ezio began to laugh. Leaning onto the wall, his hands clutched his stomach, and he couldn't seem to stop until his lungs began to ache. The combination of the threat, plus his constant alternating wonder and fear at this strange, strange, world Eden inhabited flowed into one, long chuckle that he suddenly found the need to unleash.

"Hey, man, I'm god-gamed serious here!" Jake sharply snapped.

"Oh…oh…I'm sure you are!" Ezio declared, straightening himself and wiping a tear from his eye. "Please, _mi disapce_, forgive me. I mean no insult," he snorted. "I swear, I really don't," he held up his hands in surrender, "I just assumed that we'd already reached this sort of silent agreement," he nodded, voice more solemn. He was beginning to get a little confused with the man - what started as a questioning of trust now became a brother warning his sister's suitor. He has given almost the same speech to a few of Claudia's boyfriends. "Believe me, I have absolutely no desire or intention to hurt Eden, and not just for the fact that she herself could... how did you say it? Pull my intestines from my ass and feed them to me? I'm fairly sure my other internal and external organs would follow shortly."

Take aback, Jake narrowed his eyes. But then his expression slowly became amused, until he shook his head with agreement, giving a dismissive wave. "She would. You know," he continued, grinning again, his voice back to normal, "I think I like you. But that doesn't mean I trust you."

"I'm honored. Truly."

"I'm surprised you don't question me, though. Are you naive, or do you just not care?"

"I know you're not an enemy," Ezio shrugged, "That's enough for me…for now."

"And you don't think of me as a threat?" Jake asked, swallowing back his surprise. "I know Alex used to get jealous as all get-out when Eden ran off on another job with me. Somehow, he didn't get the part that Eden is nothing but a little sister to me. Besides, I take credit for that kid, I taught her everything she knows, and you likely seen her in action already."

"I thought Larry taught her that," Ezio muttered skeptically.

"Larry..." Jake wrinkled his nose. It seemed the two had reached a truce, at least for the time being. Now, he was thinking more rationally about the situation. Perhaps even saying out loud what he would have never said to anyone from their gang. "Larry doesn't teach his students," he frowned, "He tortures them into obedience. I was the one to pick up on the newbies' skills."

The thought of Larry torturing Eden like that made Ezio's desire of the man's death grow further. His fists clenched instinctively, but he hurried to relax as to not give the wrong ideas to his new... friend.

"And how many of them survived?" Ezio asked even though he didn't really want to know the answer to how many people had died in the blind devotion to a man that thought of them as nothing more than weapons. If he didn't know any better, he'd assume the _bastardo_ was a Templar.

"Only Eden. So you might see where I wouldn't want her to fail because of some guy she's known for only three weeks…so, getting back to my question, aren't you even a bit concerned?"

"About you?" Ezio chuckled with utter self-assurance, "Hardly. You may have taught Eden at first. But then she took a more...independent sort of study. More than that, she was the one that taught me. And you realize that it's been three years and not three weeks, right?"

Jake furrowed his eyebrows, searching Ezio's face for any hint of a lie or an attempt to fool him. Finding none, he muttered, "-fuck, what? Three-" his expression changed to one of shock, the mask of neutrality melting away a bit. He gaped slightly, and the scar crossing his face stretched as his jaw fell open. "How is that even-"

"That's why I have no doubt that she can take care of this _pezzo di merda _Larry. And you, if you turn on us," he laughed, though the sound seemed to snap with glittering, murderous intent, echoing off the walls. "I wouldn't be standing idly by, either," he nodded, "So I can tell you right now that I am not worried in the slightest. Maybe you two were enchanted by him for a good chunk of your lives, or whatever you wish to call it. But all I see is a man who needs to be taught some serious lessons in general civility. And I think the world would rather see him dead than creating more blindly devoted and bloodthirsty killers."

Eyes widening, Jake found himself taking a step back, despite that Ezio never bothered to move from his spot, where he casually leaned against the wall. "Who the hell are you?" he finally asked hoarsely. Ezio sighed.

_I am an Auditore, an Assassin by inheritance and training… and a decent human being.  
_

"Haven't we gone over this?" The conversation was beginning to run in circles, and his patience was starting thin. Finally, he took pity on the man, and changed the subject. "How about you tell me if we're actually not going to be bothered by the pursuers? At least until we figure out a plan, eh?"

"That is...questionable." Jake seemed to be more at ease with a topic he could actually keep up with. "Millie is an excellent tracker, but I don't think there were any tracks for them to follow. They'll realize we took a different turn when they get to the next town, false trail or no. They're human too, so they will likely spend the night there and regroup."

"Millie? I haven't heard of her. There are other women in the gang?" Ezio raised an eyebrow. Eden never talked much about the members, other than Jake and Larry.

"Obviously. If you're really from the Renaissance, then let me teach you a quick lesson in regard to sex discrimination and division: Young girls don't differ from boys all that much and can get into places men can't. Millie joined a year after Eden, but she trained with Larry himself only. She's a bit...worse in terms of determination. I don't think there anything she wouldn't do to please Larry," he curled his lip in disgust.

"And the other girls?"

"Where do you think?" The man got out a package from his pocket, and took a thin roll of paper out of it. The smell of something heavy and acrid hit Ezio's nose as Jake took out a lighter, and walked over to the window, righting the end while putting the other into his mouth. "In the ground."

"Ah," the assassins uncomfortably replied.

"Just keep your knife close tonight, that's all I can say. Don't know how Eve figured everything out, but everyone makes mistakes."

Just in that moment, there was a polite knock on the door. The two men froze, and looked at it with caution, their hands moving towards the closest weapons. But the voice was of the land-lady, calling them down for dinner.

"We'll leave this conversation for later." Jake took his jacket with him, just in case, and headed out the door. Ezio was quite hungry himself, and the smell coming from downstairs was pleasantly tickling his nose.

Eve was already sitting at the large table that was covered in a flower patterned cloth, drumming her fingers lightly on the surface and staring out the window almost dreamily. She looked as if her thoughts were far away, almost as though having an internal conversation with herself. Or the Piece of Eden, Ezio noted. Perhaps that was the case. She showed her acknowledgment to Ezio and Jake with a stiff nod and a forced looking smile, but didn't invite a conversation.

The owner of the house was sitting on the other end of the table, though his reaction to the appearances of guests was a lot more pleasant and enthusiastic.

"Hope you don't mind, since usually we have tables out in the back yard. But it seems as it is going to rain for a while," he informed them as they sat down opposite of each other.

"It's no trouble," Ezio smiled cheerfully, at the same time as searching for Eden. She was not in the room. "Would you know where Eden went?"

"She went outside for a bit, though I can't imagine why she'd want to in this weather," _Signora_ White told him as she set down a large platter of veal right in the middle of the table. Ezio immediately relaxed; Eden was still in the habit of exploring a location before sleeping there.

_If she gets a cold, it'll be completely her fault._

"Her loss! This looks delicious!" Jake didn't wait for anyone, beginning to pile food onto his plate eagerly. Eve limited herself with salad, for some reason, still looking far away as she ate.

"So you're leaving tomorrow?" the man asked as he followed suit after the guests began eating. The food tasted good, Ezio noted, though Eden said that much of the food here was chemical and modified. Apparently, people no long found the need to buy it fresh since they figured out how to store it for a longer period of time. But the meat seemed natural enough, as if it was recently hunted, and the vegetables in the salad were fresh. They tasted different, but not necessarily worse than what he was used to.

"We're just passing through." Eve seemed a lot more content with the landlord, her smile actually genuine. It nearly startled Ezio, it was so similar to Eden's. But only superficially, he realized after a moment. Eden's was usually happy, cheerful, and very contagious. Eve's just seemed almost... hurt, somehow, and could be compared to that of a martyr saint's.

"A road trip, then? We mainly get hunters here, and of course, campers that get caught in the rain. Where are you going?"

"Making our way to Philadelphia, visiting relatives." She lied flawlessly, her face not giving away any insincerity. "It's raining pretty badly, so we thought we'd stop here for the night, then continue on after it calmed down."

"Oh, our middle daughter goes to a college there. She visits occasionally-"

At that moment, the front door opened quietly. Ezio's head immediately turned towards the noise to see Eden, slightly wet, coming inside the house. He assumed she hadn't gone far, just staying on the front porch under the protection of the roof, or she'd be a lot wetter.

"Welcome back," the landlady smiled in greeting. Eden fell into the chair beside Ezio, smiling back. She definitely looked more at ease than before, moving back to being her usual self.

"Did you find anything?" Ezio asked the question to make it sound like a joke, when really, he was truthfully asking. But there was no need to scare their hosts.

She shrugged with an easy smile. "I came to the conclusion that it is raining outside."

"Did you figure that out before or after you got wet?"

She swiftly kicked his shin under the table, her smile growing wider as she joined the meal. He noted she glanced at Eve, but only once, enthusiastically taking part in the conversation that Jake was having with the hunter about rifles. Ezio wasn't really sure exactly what they were saying - it was all strange names and numbers, something called recoil, shooting speed and weight. Leonardo would've loved it though…

Eve didn't say a word through dinner, finished first, politely thanked the woman for the food, and retired.

* * *

I didn't sleep well that night, but for different reasons than before. The persistent tapping of the rain on the window didn't have any sort of rhythm really, just dropping on different notes at unpredictable times. The trees outside rustled loudly, as if whispering a story to one another, or complaining about the wet weather. Ezio's breathing from beside me was even, showing he was firmly ensconced in deep sleep, though I knew he could wake up at moment's notice and be battle ready in a matter of seconds. It seemed almost a natural gift to him.

Sometime after midnight, I finally gave up, throwing away the blanket and quietly letting my feet down onto the floor. It creaked slightly, but then calmed itself, allowing me to soundlessly walk over to the desk. I was still fully dressed, as were all of us, I'm sure, with knives under the pillows and guns within reach. Just in case Eve made a miscalculation.

My laptop glowed slightly in greeting, and I glanced to the sleeping man on the bed, making sure I didn't bother him. Cracking my knuckles quietly, I went back from the news page that was still open from before the search engine I'd pulled up that afternoon. After a moment of hesitation, I scratched my chin, and then typed in "Ezio Auditore" with the quotations.

_Zero results._ Even the "I'm Feeling Lucky" button did nothing.

I furrowed my eyebrows. I tried the next name that came to mind- Bartolomeo d'Alviano. Pages of results popped up, including Wikipedia and Italian resource sites. I thought about it for a moment, folding my arms onto the desk.

Machiavelli and Bartolomeo had to be the most famous of the Assassins in the fifteenth century, one as a brilliant politician and the other a talented mercenary leader. I was suddenly sure that if I looked for Paola or Antonio and the others, I would not find many results. Names and traces of connection to the Templar-Assassin war were likely wiped from public. Ezio was completely removed from records after his family was hung for treason. As far as history was concerned, he never existed. I worried my lip as I glanced at the links, and sighed, closing down the browser.

What the hell was I thinking? I had the option to find out about these people, but it would be an irresponsible and stupid thing to do. How could I really look them in the eye knowing exactly what was going to happen to them and the exact date they were going to die?

I glanced out the window, still chewing on my lip in thought. Then I shifted my eyes to Ezio, and realized that he was not asleep any more, but in fact, staring at me with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, yeah. Curiosity killed a cat and everything, and satisfaction is not a very good method of resurrection," I mumbled, suddenly feeling much more tired as I crawled back into the bed. "I'm sorry."

I heard his quiet sigh as he threw an arm over me, drawing me closer, and mumbling something inaudible and vaguely reproaching into my hair.

But I didn't get the sleep that I really hoped for because at that exact moment, a crash only loud enough to be heard by those awake rang in the night. And it was coming from down the hall, where Jake's bedroom neighbored with Eve's. Ezio and I were on our feet in a flash, sparing a surprised glance at each other. We grabbed our weapons and ran out the door and towards the noise as Jake came out as well, his alarmed expression signaling the crash was not his fault.

"Stop!" I heard Eve's voice before I even managed to get the door open, ignored the command, and stumbled into the room, ready to kill whoever it was that attacked my sister.

But the room was empty. The window was shut tight, no light was on. The only sound was quiet muttering and sobs that came from the foot of the bed. Squinting into the darkness, I felt Ezio and Jake enter the room behind me.

Eve was curled up on the floor, tucked into the corner that her bed made with the wall, gripping her head and chest as if in pain. I approached with caution, scanning her form for any signs of blood, but there was none.

"Eve?" I called softly, wondering what was happening.

"This never happened before..." she hissed, quietly, "Stop talking- I don't understand-"

"Eden, wait-" Jake warned me, but I already crouched beside her. Suddenly, I realized that she was not gripping her chest, but the Talisman, the thin chain tensing in her clutched hand much like a crucifix in a desperate man's prayer. I reached out and touched her shoulder, unsure what else to do, but silently praying it would be enough. At the contact, she didn't jerk away like I expected her, but threw herself into my arms. Shocked, I looked around to the men standing in the doorway, but they seemed just as confused as me. Ezio began to search around the room, opening the window and sticking his head outside, but found nothing, save the rainy night. Jake, on the other hand, just grumbled something, rubbed his head, and headed back to his room.

Eve's entire frame was shaking in my arms, her eyes darting around wildly. She likely didn't even know what was going on at that moment in the real world, trying to sort out this "conversation" with the artifact inside her head, instead.

"Take that thing away from her," Ezio urged, meaning the Piece of Eden. But as I attempted to pry it out of her hands, her wide green eyes turned sharply to me, and her body relaxed.

The situation reminded me of when we were younger, still in a proper family, and Eve saw and heard lightning for the first time. She was terrified of the thunder, and wouldn't calm down until I hugged her and began muttering jokes and teasing her to distract her. Then, it didn't take long for us to begin quietly giggling and chatting, sneaking out to steal something to munch on from the kitchen.

"Let me go!" Her voice was quiet, raspy, but normal this time, the spell she went through gone.

"I'm not holding you," I gently reminded her that she was the one leaning heavily against me. As soon as she figured that out, she shot away from me, scrambling to her feet. I watched her with distant confusion as she opened the window, took the Talisman off her neck, and-

Flung it out the window.

"Eve, did you just totally go insane?" I hissed, jumping to my feet, "What the hell did you just do?"

She glanced at me, her lips pressed into a thin line. I noted that her glare was nowhere near as cold as it was before, but she stubbornly worked on keeping her face irritated. "It's going to come back in the morning. You think I haven't tried doing that before? I've pawned it, I threw it in the garbage, dropped it off a bridge, even attempted to run over it with my car. But every morning I woke up with it around my neck. Right now, I… I just want a good night sleep."

"Would you mind explaining to us what happened just now?" Ezio asked, the last part being garbled and nearly lost by a stifled yawn. It must have been three in the morning or so.

"I don't know," Eve retorted through the teeth, climbing into her bed and pulling her knees up to her chest tightly. "It just... started talking really fast and loud, and I couldn't understand what it was saying.

"Is there danger?"

"No, I know that for sure. It was speaking of about something completely different." Her eyes flashed to me for some reason. "Go get some sleep, we're leaving early," she dismissively said. Once again, her voice shoved me away, its tone slightly mocking, for some reason making me grind my teeth as I almost growled in frustration.

_She is impossible! _I scowled. Maybe years passed, but she was just as stubborn and proud as ever. And now, there was the added bonus that she was officially determined to hate and infuriate me beyond the point of actually having a civilized conversation.

Ezio quietly groaned for reasons unknown to me, and left through the door. Before I followed him out, I glared at my sister one last time, though it was lost on her, for she had already turned away.

This time, I fell asleep as soon as my cheek touched the pillow.

* * *

Morning was quiet. We woke up just after the owners of the house, thanked them for the meal and lodgings, and headed on our way. We only threw a couple words around as we climbed back into the car. Soon we just stared out of the window, bored. Even Ezio seemed comfortable with the "horseless carriage." He didn't fiddle with the seatbelt, roll up and down the window, or tap along the lock, clicking it back and forth. Jake seemed pleased with that, no longer seething and muttering to cut off his fingers. And Ezio no longer continued doing it just to piss him off, smirking all the while.

_Well would you look at that, my boys were finally getting along. _I thought with some relief and amusement._ Let's see how long that lasts._

It was beginning to feel less like a game of tag and more like an actual road trip. I suddenly didn't care where Eve was taking us, or how long it would be until we got there. Mostly because I had a strange feeling that after we got there, I would not see my sister anymore. And no matter how much she irritated me right now, I was not sure I was ready for her to leave again. After all, patching things up was very high on the mental to-do list that I thought up the morning after the Apple forced Ezio and me to pop up back into my apartment.

"So." I jerked out of my thoughts, glancing around to Jake, who put his chin on the shoulder of my seat. "What's Leonardo da'Vinci like?"

I blinked a few times, as if trying to figure out if he actually just asked me that. Then I couldn't help but smile, remembering the adorably-excited and hyper artist.

"Absolutely brilliant. You know the flying machine?"

"Yeah?"

"I helped build it." At Ezio's skeptical stare, I corrected myself, "Fine, I just held it up while he built it, and Ezio tested it out."

"No kidding! For real? And that one," he stole a glance over to Ezio, who flashed him a self-satisfied smile, "Didn't fall down to his death?"

"I almost did," Ezio grumbled. He did not exactly have the fondest memories of that episode. "'Fly towards the fire on a wooden machine, Ezio! It will either lift you in the air or burn you to crisps, and since you don't have a choice...'"

Jake and I laughed at his imitation, and even Eve smiled a bit without turning to us. The situation suddenly felt a lot lighter. It was almost strange, the way that Ezio had the ability to make just about anyone laugh in any situation.

"Wait, how about the tanks and stuff he drew blueprints of? I was always curious about that." I almost forgot the fact that Jake used to be absolutely fascinated by certain aspects of history, da'Vinci's work included. While he wasn't one for dates and battles, he had nearly childish adoration for the wonders of engineering and breakthroughs in science. He loved mechanics, a passion that he got me into as well, even if it was just part-time.

"I've seen most of those plans and sketches, but I don't think he ever made them. His mind usually flies from project to project before he finishes."

"And that stuff from the Da'Vinci Code?"

"I never read the book, Jake," I reminded him. "What in specific?"

"The part with him being part of the Priory of Sion? Worshiping the sacred feminine?" Ezio raised a curious eyebrow at Jake's question.

"That-" I had not heard anything of that. Priory...feminine? Considering the fact that Leo wasn't exactly into women, so somehow, I doubted it. "I don't know, really. Maybe it happens later, he's only about thirty to us, likely even younger."

"Then I won't spoil the ending for you." After a paused, he asked, "You _are_ planning to go back, right?"

"Of course. We still have certain someones to take care of, and I have a student in my care. And, then there is the part that Ezio's remaining family is in the fifteenth century, while I have none here anyway. Well, aside from a _very stubborn sister who refuses to even talk to me_!"

The mentioned sister didn't react to my pass, and I rolled my eyes, returning to our conversation.

"Sucks. I think I'll actually miss you, kid," Jake tried to poke my forehead, like he used to before, but I was faster, getting my face out of his mini-attack. "I wouldn't want to go back in time though: no computers, no guns, no cars. It's like, half my life wiped out."

"I dunno," I shrugged, "I got sort of used to it." Ezio shot me an amused look, and I couldn't help but return it.

"Are there still whores, at least?" The question was directed to Ezio, who laughed, and nodded, a dreamy look on his eyes. I glared quickly, but then couldn't hold back a smile.

"You men and your fondness for women who have nothing better to do but be used by you," I grumbled. Both men looked at me with reproach, and their synchronized reaction amused me further.

"Eden, you know me. I love every single woman I sleep with." I knew Jake was telling the truth. He had a strong respect for women, even the ones he paid, and I suspected Ezio was the same. Though since Jake's fiancé, Dani, died a few years back, he never really got over it. The whores were just another way of escaping for him, I guessed.

Dani was a sweet, rich girl that accidentally stumbled into one of our regions and drew a few eyes and hands. Thankfully, Jake was close by and saved her from getting robbed and raped. The age-old rule of opposites attracting did its work. They were going to elope behind her parents' backs, but she died in a car crash a week before they planned to do it. It broke him down further, though to those who knew him, he showed little emotion. However, he very nearly killed Garrett when he dared sneer and poke fun at the less-than-funny death.

Jake suddenly remembered what I said earlier. "Wait, Eden, you have a student?"

"Yep," I smiled somewhat proudly at her mention. "Her name is Adel, she nine, but shows a lot of potential."

"What, you're teaching her to spill blood, too?" The atmosphere cooled as the mocking question got past Eve's pursed lips. That was the first time she spoke today.

"Not exactly," I continued as if nothing was out of ordinary. Besides, there was no arguing with the way she said it; blood-spilling was exactly our job. "But since we are her unofficial guardians, we put her into danger. It's best if she knows how to defend herself, or at least hide properly."

"Where are her parents?" Jake raised his eyebrows.

I grimaced. "In a much better place."

"Oh. Well, I suppose it works out, then." At our incredulous stares, Jake corrected himself immediately, "I meant, since you can't have children, and I know you-" He suddenly froze, looking around at Ezio, as if realizing a mistake. But there was no change in either of us, so he calmed down.

"You can't have children? When did this happen?" I noticed Eve's tone melting a bit, likely in pity.

Pity wasn't something I sought. Especially from her.

"Right after you left," I replied with slight accusation, though I knew I was just being immature, "Got a nasty little cut to the stomach, screwed everything up. Wouldn't your Talisman tell you that?" I sniffed. Speaking of the artifact, it was once again glinting around her neck, as if she never threw it out of the window. But honestly, if I hadn't fallen through the space-time continuum, met and fell in love with a 500 year-old, roof-hopping Florentine noble, who inherited membership into a secret cult of supposed killers-for-hire, only to drag him back through to the present, I would've questioned it.

But hell, the rules of reality had been a bit broken as of late. If it can really even be called reality anymore- it just seemed like some novel or video game to me by this point.

"It only tells me what it thinks I need to know," Eve sighed. She likely realized her mistake in joining the conversation, for now the spot light was on her, and she had no way of getting out. "It seems to want me alive, so it tells me when danger is coming. And how to help people who need it."

"I see. So it conveniently forgets to mention details that it considers unimportant?" Jake summed up.

"Yes," she replied shortly. Without warning she twisted the steering wheel sharply to the right all of a sudden, making the entire car jerk and lean on one side. Before any of us understood what she was doing, she did a U-turn off the road, heading straight into a seemingly impassable patch of trees.

"What the hell are you thin-" Jake didn't get to finish the protest, as the car jerked once again. I realized that the forest was not totally solid, it just looked like it from the road. Eve turned onto a track behind it, which was marked only by a gray stone on the right side, and then onto another, leading into the depth of the wood. After a few minutes, she stopped the car and pulled her keys out.

"We're walking from here. It's just another half a mile."

"To where?" I snorted.

"A farm."

"A farm?"

"Jesus, Eden, you're an Assassin. You should know of the hidden communities by now."


	37. Chapter 36

"Can someone please explain _why _we have to drag ourselves through a god damned forest?" Jake demanded angrily as he bent down to slip under the branches, only to let out a yelp of alarm as he was whipped in the face by one of the lower hanging ones.

Ezio was laughing quietly. He already explained to me earlier that he spent a lot of time in the Tuscany countryside as a child, when his family visited his Uncle Mario's villa. He constantly sneaked out with Federico, and they wiled away many hours playing in the forests and fields surrounding Monteriggioni. Apparently, once their father accepted the inevitable, he taught them basic survival. So Ezio had no problems with ducking under branches and not getting caught by bushes or tripping over logs.

_Which is more than I can say for either Jake or me,_ I thought angrily as I stumbled again.

We were like magnets. Branches and leaves were seriously trying to injure us, brushing and catching at any loose material at every opportunity. Logs all but jumped in front of our feet, the only things keeping me from falling were my decent reflexes and balance, and Ezio's steel-like grip on my arm. Jake, sadly, didn't have the luxury, and he was pretty beat in about five minutes, cursing me, my sister, the forest and the whole wide world for his sufferings and calling out to God to take pity on him.

Eve proceed in front of us confidently, showing that she walked this way a lot. Having little to no issue with the treacherous landscape, she easily led the way, as if following invisible markers.

"Because we have no where better to go," I replied to Jake somewhat testily. God help me, nature was quickly turning out to be no friend of mine.

"Figures," he snorted, "Can you at least tell me what this Assassin community is?"

I exchanged glanced with Ezio, who shrugged. I sighed. I was planning to tell Jake the full story at one point or another. But I really wasn't sure where to even begin or how he was going to take it- I remember when I found out, my very first thought was that Mario Auditore was an old senile man that talked nonsense. I was not old, and hopefully, not yet senile. But considering what happened in the past few days...I doubt he had the best thoughts of my sanity, and those of Ezio and Eve.

Well, I suppose he could just say we were all nutters and leave. Yet in any case, I trusted him to at least keep it all to himself, so there was not harm in telling him now. "Well," I slowly began, "Assassins are a faction who, as the name suggests, assassinate people."

"And we're going straight into their hive?" Jake raised an eyebrow skeptically, "So they can kill us?" _Are you out of your damn mind, Eden? _I could almost hear the rest of his question hanging unspoken in the air.

_Likely. _I replied mentally, but carried on as if nothing was wrong.

"It's not that simple," I waved, "Besides, Ezio, me, and now I assume Eve, are a part of the faction, so-" I was really hesitating in continuing, unsure if he really even wanted to know the full story. He noticed, and grimaced.

"Eden, you dragged me out of New York, made me a traitor to Larry, put my life at risk, and now made me go through a forest that I swear to God is trying to break my legs," he swatted at yet another branch that smacked him in his neck, letting out a hiss of retort. Thank God he wasn't at the end of his patience, as I think he would've gone and shot at the various branches hanging low and littering our path, and we did not need to attract attention. "I think I deserve to know what's going on," he snapped, his voice a bit angrier that it should have been. Mostly because he just managed to almost trip over a fallen tree that was hidden from sight by the shrubbery.

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "Even if it means losing sleep?"

"I can sleep in the morgue."

Ignoring Ezio's smirk of agreement, I shrugged. "You probably wouldn't make it to the morgue. Some ditch is a safe bet though. But you're right, you should know where the hell you're going. Ezio, help me out, since it seems Eve is set on completely ignoring us from now on..."

Together, we managed to tell him the entire story, at least as far as our knowledge even stretched. It was only interrupted by occasional bloodthirsty branches, but other than that, we managed to tell him of Assassins, the Creed, Templars and their general plan that appeared in many ways through the ages. It always came down to one point, though- dominion.

He listened with interest, as if I was retelling a good book. It was a bit of relief that he didn't yell that we were utterly insane. His reactions were actually pretty well-adjusted, showing slight hints of surprise only when I told him that the Knights Templar had not gone extinct, like everyone thought.

Eve actually paused for a second to add a few things, such as various unexplained happenings in the past few years that were carefully covered up, and that had relation to the bad guys. Apparently, she knew a few people that'd formerly belonged to the faction.

It was a strange tapestry we'd created, I realized as we continued to talk and connected the dots. Nearly a thousand years of a war that I had no idea was going on before I appeared in Firenze. And there was likely more of it, in between Altair's time, the Renaissance and the modern age.

"That's one huge conspiracy alright," Jake finally commented at the end, coming to a standstill. Eyes wide, it took him a few moments to let it all in sink in. Wiping his brow, he opened his mouth as though to something, only to snap it shut and wipe his brow again. "Okay…" he moved his lips as if chewing over all the information, but then shrugged, "It certainly explains a few things. I guess I can deal..." he muttered.

"_Si,_" Ezio nodded in understanding, "It takes a bit to…get used to, _amico._"

"You don't say?" Jake snorted, shooting Ezio an expression of disbelief. "But, uh, what does it have to do with the gang? Did Larry know your old man was a, well, Assassin?"

"I have no idea."

"He did always seem to be keen on the idea of you taking care of those contracts though," he remembered, "Sometimes, he even overlooked more experienced members just to send you out on the jobs. I never asked, obviously, but it did surprise me at first."

"Maybe he knew what was in my blood and wanted to awaken this...inherited talent of mine," I shrugged.

"More like he wanted to take full advantage of you, the _figlio di puttana,_" Ezio growled, eyes narrowed and glowing dangerous gold as he clenched his fists at his sides. I quickly placed a hand on his arm, gently running my fingers along it. My touch seemed to calm him down slightly.

"In any case, he didn't miss his mark. I don't mind the assassin part too much now, I just wish he used...different methods."

"Do they take anyone who's willing? The Assassins, I mean," Jake suddenly asked. I furrowed my eyebrows, looking at him with curiosity.

"I have no idea," I repeated. "Do you want to join or something?"

"If there's a conspiracy going on, I want to be a part of it. I'm not exactly a novice when it comes to the profession, and I'd rather be on the good side for once. You know, actually making a difference, instead of shooting innocent people? I'm done with all the bullshit. You know what it's like," he nodded. I smiled bitterly - I did. "I don't exactly have birthright or anything like that, so it would probably take a bit of convincing."

"You're a good guy, Jake," I chuckled quietly, though I doubt he heard. I was used to speaking with Ezio, who could pick up on the tiniest whisper. "I don't think it'll take that much convincing. From what I understand, the Assassins are still low in numbers, no matter the level of skill."

And really, where else would he go if we managed to get rid of Larry? He was good with cars and computers of course. But his criminal record was worse than mine, as he was not anywhere as careful and subtle in his jobs. The Assassins were the best place for him to put his skills to good use, though I couldn't claim to know what their standards were. Perhaps it really wouldn't be that-

"We're here." Eve suddenly stopped, and the three of us looked up at the same time.

* * *

From the outside, the community nicknamed Farm and Fortress looked like a mash between the two, if subtle. The fence surrounding it was dense, wooden on the outside, but somehow I knew that it was better enforced on the inside. A few barbed wires ran along the upper edge, discouraging adventurous climbers. The gates were shut tightly, small watchtowers flanking it from both sides, shadows of men looming inside. Perfect for snipers to easily take out anyone who didn't take the hint that trespassers were unwelcome.

I had to admit, it was impressive with the simple brilliancy of design. If anyone stumbled across it by accident, it was just a village that was not rebuilt yet, the owners of which liked privacy. Or perhaps a military facility of some sort, which was forbidden to civilians. I also noted that the roof of the towers were a deep, forest green color. Likely to make it harder for satellites and airplanes to spot it from above.

Eve approached the gates with confidence, stopping beside them. To my surprise, she opened a small niche where a keypad could be seen, pulling out a card from her pocket and swiping it over it before typing in a code. "Someone will be with you shortly," a monotone voice sounded, and Eve crossed her arms to wait. I blinked at Jake and Ezio, who shrugged in response. However, he looked more closely at the key pad. Making sure not to touch it, he waved his hand over it, a bit surprised that there was no further response.

"More magic?" he whispered to me.

"Electronics," I whispered back, "Though to be honest, to most people, it _is _like magic. We take for granted that it works."

"And when it doesn't?"

"People loose their minds…we've gotten a bit lazy in modern times, admittedly. I got off easy, as I didn't get too far into any of the technologies, though I did miss hot showers for a while," I smiled. I didn't turn on my TV much, barely used the phone, and used the computer only for basic research. All the other devices were simply more primitive in earlier eras; candles instead of light bulbs, carriages and horses instead of cars and so on. Not to mention, all my vaccinations were up to date when I left (as staying healthy was part of my job of survival. Thank God for free clinics…), so there was little chance of catching disease in the Renaissance.

"Ah," he nodded, quickly stepping away from it.

I'd only come across this many layers of defense in perhaps one building in my entire life. And that belonged to a very rich, corporate company.

Assassins really didn't like unwanted guests, it seemed. Not that I blamed them. However, while the gates were heavily defended, I doubted that the walls themselves were that big of a challenge. Especially if there was some sort of escape route, which I could bet good money there was, and someone found out about them...

In a moment, the gates creaked. Definitely something other than wood- the sound was more metallic and sharp. They didn't open fully, just enough for a man to walk through it.

He looked about forty years old, fit and tall, with pitch black hair and a thick stubble that suited him. His dark eyes looked mildly familiar. Thankfully, they weren't cold and empty like Larry's, but rather, somehow a welcoming, mild black velvet. Something about them made me immediately like the man, whoever he was. Even despite the semi-automatic rifle that was slung over his shoulder.

"Eve! And there I thought you made another run for it just to get out of helping your sister." His voice was friendly, accented with some sort of European dialect, though I couldn't put my finger on it. Likely, it was even a mix of different languages.

Eve grinned, leaving me a bit shocked, as that was the first time I saw her happily smile at someone, her eyes lighting up in recognition. "Some things have to be done, Diego."

"Ain't that the truth! Come on inside, a few people want to say hi to you. I'll fill Eden in meanwhile." Eve smiled again, disappearing into the gates as Diego turned to us, his face still friendly. It was a strange feeling - like finding family that you didn't even know of. There was no mistrust in his gaze, just sincere pleasure at the meeting. "Eden?" He gave me a cursory once-over, evaluating, though without malice. More as though trying to place me. "Last time I saw you, you could still walk under the table. Your dad used to talk about you all the time...and I have to say, you've grown into a beautiful woman, despite the, well, everything." He was smiling mischievously as he lifted my hand up to his lips.

I almost groaned; lovely, another womanizer in retirement.

Ezio certainly didn't seem to like the greeting much, either, his breath hitching in his throat behind me as he suddenly appeared at my side. "I think we should at least get an introduction before you put you mouth to places it's not welcome, _signore._" The jibe was smooth, but steely, like silk over a blade. I felt his hand immediately fly to small of my back, warm and secure as he nearly hauled me up against his side. Jake quickly flanked my other side, his eyes trained on Diego as I felt him drop a protective hand on my shoulder.

Well, at least those two were longer bickering back forth…except I was not sure whether or not I liked this whole new joint-effort protectiveness.

Diego immediately dropped my hand, and I took it back to the safety of my pockets. I hid a smile; though I didn't really appreciate Ezio's defense and Jake's over-protection, I wasn't going to fight either of them at the moment. "Safety and peace…no need for that, brother, we're on the same side." Diego didn't seem phased at all, but retreated respectfully. Really, I think he showed interest more out of habit than anything, considering he looked old enough to be my father. Or, by his word, was friends with him. "Come on inside so we can introduce each other formally, without fear."

With that, he turned around, and gestured for us to follow him inside.

The inside of the fence reminded me of an actual farm, though somewhat unorthodox. It was not a huge clearing, but rather the village was integrated with the forest, so that patches of trees were everywhere, hovering over our head. There were fields to the left, and houses spread to the right, a few huge barns standing in the distance. It was harvest season, I guessed, because people laced through the tall crops, collecting them and preparing the land for next year. A self-dependent farm. Admirable...

A few workers stopped to look around at us, curious to the new faces, but not alarmed. A few called greetings to Diego, who grinned back.

On the other side, life was boiling, too. Women were washing clothes and cooking on the fires, men chopped wood and just hung around, playing cards or dice, laughing. There were plenty of children, too, playing and helping their parents with chores. Farther away, I could see a ring of fences which I could guess the purpose of. I also noted that all the roofs were green, a similar shade to the crowns of the trees. This place must have been standing here for some time now. And it was going to stand for a few more years, unless something drove them out. I somehow imagined the communities to be smaller, but perhaps this was simply one of the big ones. I estimated there to be around fifty to a hundred people living here, not quite enough to draw attention.

While we walked, I caught up with Diego, asking the question that was buzzing in my head. "You knew my father?"

"Of course! We were on the same squad for years when we were young. Or, younger. We've been around the world a few times and back. Name anywhere, we've been there. Once, we even came across a little town that worshiped a dragon! Can you imagine? We weren't so cruel as to rid them of their delusions, but we did take care of the noisy rich bastard that had nothing better to do but make echoes in the valleys. Anyway..." We'd crossed over to the barn by now, which I realized stood in the very heart of the Fortress, "My name is Diego, though you likely caught that from your sister already. I'm one of the Masters in this community."

"Masters?"

"A master assassin. I'm one of the teachers here now, who trains the younger generation."

I glanced at Ezio, who returned my gaze with surprise. "So this is like Masyaf?" I remembered Altair's chronicles from his codices, his descriptions painting vivid pictures of the fortress in the Holy Land he called his home.

"It's exactly like Masyaf," Diego nodded enthusiastically, needing no explanation of what I meant. "Except the communities are smaller. They're far easier to move in case of an emergency, very well hidden and entirely self-dependent. There are many of them scattered through the world now, all following the example of our ancestors."

"So- those families-"

"Half are hereditary assassins and their spouses and children. Then there are some that are refugees, and even some recruits, though those seem to be rarer and rarer with each passing year." I could feel Jake tense by my side, though it quickly passed.

"Then…why did my dad settle in the city instead of here?"

I had absolutely no idea that there were communities like these so close to New York, hidden in plain sight. I mean, I was never out of the city much, but somehow I think someone would notice an unregistered compound in the woods. I had a feeling you couldn't find this place unless you knew where to go. Or if someone purposely brought you here.

Was that what dad meant when he instructed mom to tell me where to find "it"? Find this Diego and get an explanation? Or maybe train...? Then why didn't mom tell me anything?

"I'm not sure what he was thinking, but he was always lenient on making sure you girls were safe." Diego continued smiling. I could see that the memory of my father in his mind was still light, not rolling into grief. "Now then, you two are welcome to explore if you'd like," he told Ezio and Jake, who didn't interfere with the conversation. "There're just a few things I'd like to discuss with Eden. It's getting dark, anyway, so you might want to find Eve. She can find you a place for the night."

"Oh, lovely," Jake rolled his eyes. "So I suppose we have to ready ourselves for a wagon of glaring?"

"She's not that bad. Just a little... mistrustful of males. Understandably." I licked my lips as I realized what Diego was saying. Eve was raped at the age of thirteen, shortly after she left me for the first time. It could have been far, _far _worse that it was just mistrust, as some women never recovered from the trauma. In some subtle ways, such was the case with Eve.

"That and the fact that she doesn't like us," Jake snorted, though his voice softened slightly.

I looked to Ezio, feeling a bit lost. The entire story reminded me of a roll of yarn after it was locked in a room with a playful kitten, and I didn't even know where to begin to follow the thread. Ezio didn't offer many answers, either. Just gave me a reassuring smile.

"Can you wait for a moment?" I asked Diego. He shrugged, and I took a few steps away so that I could talk to Ezio. "I'm getting really confused."

"It's no better from my perspective, _mi creda_."

"Larry is still out there, and I have a feeling the only way to stop him is to kill him," I muttered thoughtfully, "But for that, we'll need to at the very least get rid of Millie and Garrett - they'll defend him blindly, and they are a fairly good force together."

"This is a good place to regroup, so we can think up a plan," he suggested. "And we can go out to meet them before they arrive. There's no need to drag these people into it."

"_Si_, I thought about that." I nodded. I was a bit absent, so the Italian word rolled out before I could even stop it. Strange, I thought the Apple made everything seem like English. I'd have to try talking to an Italian from this time, maybe I'd actually feel the difference between tongues. "There are a lot of children and possibly innocent people here, and it's exactly in Larry's repertoire to take hostages to draw us out. I'm pretty sure this entire situation breaks that one tenant to not compromise the Brotherhood."

"Are they still kept to?" he asked with genuine surprise.

"_Probabilmente_. I have a feeling the only reason we're here is because Eve is my sister and this guy was friends with my father. Otherwise they'd probably just let us deal with our own problems."

"Or maybe there is something they know that we don't?" Ezio retorted, and quite fairly. I thought about it for a moment.

"I'll talk to him and try to get some answers, and then…I guess we'll just have to see."

"I will look around, access the location."

"Wow, you two are really a secretive pair," Jake finally interfered with our quiet conversation. He seemed a bit displeased. "I really have no idea how you learned Italian so fluently, but it's getting annoying. Though I see now that you two are used to working together."

We stared at him for a moment, and then shrugged at the exact same time, summoning a smirk from him. I looked somewhat sheepish. "Three years and counting," I counted on my fingers. Jake shook his head in disbelief, though he clapped me on the back in reassurance before following Diego.

* * *

"So do you know the situation?"

"I have a general idea, yes," I crossed my arms and legs, looking up at Diego from where I sat with a rather stony expression. "Though I really don't see why you bothered sending out Eve to collect us. We could have taken care of it, and it would have been nicer to hear she was still off the radar."

He sighed, looking very focused as he searched for something through the drawers of the heavy, wooden desk he sat behind. "I thought you'd be a bit more trusting of your own sister."

"It appears a closed circle then. We wouldn't have come looking for her if Larry didn't want to hunt her down. But, he would not know where to look for her if she did not resurface, just so we could find her. And yet, I still don't understand what the purpose of it all is."

"Larry Grale has become a bigger issue than you might think." He sounded serious now, all traces of a carefree man now gone, only a light frown in place. "We need to eliminate him."

"_Aspetta_. Larry is a gang leader who stepped into something bigger than he can understand," I leaned forward, furrowing my eyebrows. Something was not adding up. "He would not be a danger if you didn't bring us here, something that you did on your own."

"Ah, but of course, you don't know." He seemed to only now realize something that must have been an obvious fact to him. "The thing is, he _is _a part of this."

"Are we going to beat around the bush all day?" I nearly sneered, "Or will you just tell me everything from beginning to end?" I was steadily loosing patience.

He left the drawers alone for a moment, and leaned his elbows onto the desk, connecting his fingertips. "Larry grew up in this very compound."

Whatever I was expecting, this sure in the hell wasn't it.

"Wait one minute," I snorted with disbelief, "Does that make him a-"

"He is not an Assassin," Diego cut me off before I could finish the bewildered comment. "Calling him that would be an insult to us. He was meant to be one, yes. Sadly, he didn't like our ways."

"That sounds just like him," I sniffed. _"Bastardo,_" I muttered, though Diego didn't seem to mind.

"Even at the young age of twelve, he managed to form a solid opinion. Though I suppose that is understandable, considering both his parents and older sister died while on a job. After that, he insisted in a change of tactics."

"Which was?" _Knowing Larry, nothing good, of course._

"He claimed that we should drop the passive, 'from-the-shadows' approach, and go on the offensive. When countered that we didn't have enough men to just perform open, head-on sweeps, that the idea was utterly foolish, and that none of us would ever ask anyone to be sent to their sure death, he then said that we were the idiots, and that we needed to push our students to become better killers and murderers. Rather than keep to the old principles that are supposedly way out of style, apparently."

"So at the age of twelve, he already wanted to raise an entire army of bloodthirsty monsters?" I chewed the thought over, and was left very displeased. "And seeing as you wouldn't tolerate the idea, he left."

"Yes…I'm starting to think that we shouldn't have allowed him to." Diego sounded somewhat sad. "But we didn't get a choice. I don't know how he managed to escape the Fortress, but we didn't bother giving chase. We really didn't know he'd start a gang to fulfill that little 'dream' of his, Eden, believe me. We would have acted much sooner if we had known, prevented it."

I stayed silent for a moment. "But you found out. What stopped you then?"

"He knows how to hide. And you probably didn't even know it, but he was shielding you from sight, as well. And this situation is not entirely about you, though god knows I'm glad to see you out of his grip. You see, it started with a commission that Larry received about two weeks ago."

"A commission?"

"Yes. From a Templar, we suspect. They turned their attention to Eve and the Talisman. They want it, and they offered your gang more money than they could refuse. To them, it was also a way to get to you in case you showed up. While Larry is not a Templar himself, and likely still hates them with a burning passion, he likely doesn't even realize that he's being used as a pawn."

"The irony is staggering."

After a few moments, I sighed, really unsure how to react to any of it. "How did you find Eve?"

"She found us, actually," he smiled in remembrance. "We were pretty shocked when she just stumbled inside. I knew Max made arrangements for the artifact, but I had no idea that it would be passed on to his own daughter. He was very close to Tyler Beck, the previous guardian, who mysteriously died shortly after your dad did."

"I know. I killed him." I twisted my lips. Diego didn't seem all to shocked by the news, as if he was already suspecting that to be the case.

"Like I said, he planned everything out. Here, he wanted me to pass this on to someone in his family," Diego suddenly brought out a package from his table, pushing it towards me. "Eve refused to take it, said that it wasn't meant for her hands. And we couldn't find you."

Numbly, I took the box, cradling it on my lap. Dad wanted me to have something? But they couldn't find me.

Something inside of me snapped.

"Planning it out was not enough, it seems," I almost growled.

"What do you mean?" he asked, taken aback.

"He wanted mom to tell me how to get here, I assume. And yet she told me absolutely nothing?" I doubtfully replied, swallowing down my rising ire.

"Alice was only human," he quickly said, "She likely didn't want to be this close to his grave."

"And yet you had my sister, who you took in with open arms because she had a Piece of Eden. What, was I not important enough for you?" I grit my teeth. I wasn't sure why I felt so angry all of a sudden. But the idea that I could have been on the good side from the start, instead of slowly wasting away in New York set me off. Diego watched me with slight confusion, but I hardly cared. "She knew where I was, and likely told you. All it would have taken was a phone call, a visit, a damned letter," I furiously gestured, feeling my control starting to sap away. "Hell, you could have saved mom, too, if you just acted a bit earlier-"

"Eden, I told you, we were not given the chance to-"

I jumped up to my feet, my fists clenching. "What, highly-trained assassins couldn't deal with a gang of teenagers who were given sharp objects? You knew perfectly well where my family was located! You could have done something to help us instead of just ignoring us until you wanted to use us! That's what this is all about right?" I waved around us, "Using me? Using _us?_ As tools for your little mission? I'm so tired," I breathed heavily, feeling my head begin to pound, "Tired of people seeing me a means to an end!"

"Eden, sit down." His voice was low, but it carried a dangerous undertone. But I was far beyond mere intimidation. Not with all this fabulous new information people enjoyed waiting nearly a decade to bother to tell me.

"So what do you want from me now? Information on Larry? Or maybe you think I know a weak spot of his? Or maybe you're only telling me this so that I'd have better motivation to kill him myself?"

"After what I'm about to tell you, I bet my right arm that you will want to kill him with your bare hands," Diego flatly countered.

"Oh, this I've got to hear! What more do I need?" I sarcastically retorted, gripping the edge of the desk and leaning forward, my gaze snapping to his. "I think there's been enough that, considering that because of _your_ inaction, I was living under _his _thumb, learning how to be the mindless killer that he wanted to raise an army of! And all of it was for nothing! Because my mom still died, Eve still got hurt, Alex died, and until three weeks ago, I was nothing more than a fucking tool!"

The fact that I managed to make a Master Assassin recoil from my furious glare would have made me proud on any other day. But he handled himself very well, controlling his emotions with ease, and staring right back.

"And why do you think all those people got hurt?"

"What?" I said in a completely different voice, all but dropping back into the chair. I felt as though the wind was suddenly knocked out of me, exhaustion swiftly settling in. Diego took a calming breath, seeing as I'd stopped yelling, and continued. "Larry wanted to make his students into, like you said, mindless monsters. And for that, he needed to forcefully cut away all the emotional ties that held you back."

I was speechless.

* * *

"Can you stop staring at me, please?" Eve finally addressed Jake, trying to hide the fact that she was unnerved by the way the stood with his shoulder leaning onto the wall of the small house, his eyes glued on her.

"I'm just waiting for you to be done with this kindergarten class, and show me where I can dig a burrow. Or should I start gathering garbage for a nest?"

Eve looked away from him and to the three kids that looked close to holding onto her legs and whining for her not to leave them. Her face immediately lit up in an angelic smile, as she leaned down to look the two boys and a girl in their eyes. "See, the mean man is getting impatient. For all I know, he eats children for a light snack, so you better run along now before your moms will put up wanted posters."

They all looked at the "Mean Man", who bared his teeth in a cannibalistic smirk to play along. As if in a choir, they all let out musical screams and ran away. Eve had to really struggle to keep in her laughter contained, and Jake just chuckled.

"Fine, let's figure out some place for you to sleep," she smiled, though it didn't quite reach her eyes. "I believe there's a kennel nearby. The last occupant just died yesterday, so I take it you're interested?" she raised an eyebrow, her mask firmly in place.

"That's cold. Even Eden is warmer than that now," he rolled his eyes.

She was sure there was something underlying in his voice. "And what's that supposed to mean?"

"The fact that she doesn't deserve your bullshit."

"I have no idea what you're talking about."

"Please, you might not notice it, but she's changed. And you know what the best indicator of that is?" Jake stretched, and then fixed her with his stare again. "The Eden I knew from three weeks ago would never risk her ass trying to save you. She'd much rather join in the hunt, and wouldn't stop until she finished you off. Even if it meant setting this entire compound on fire."

"So what's your point?"

"The fact that at the moment Larry even suggested that he was trying to find you, she attacked him, and then turned her back entirely to the gang."

"Coming from _you_, that's rich," she waved in dismissal.

"And what is _that_ supposed to mean?"

~_The blood on him is not spilled on free will._~ the Talisman whispered. It was a strange voice. It didn't really have a language or intonation - just a breath through Eve's mind, a revelation. But she'd worn the artifact long enough to be able to separate its speech from her thoughts.

~_It's still spilled.~_

_~Everyone around you has or will spill blood. You have, too. Don't judge him. He doesn't mean harm.~_

"You're zoning out," Jake's voice interrupted her thoughts, breaking her conversation with the artifact.

"You're an idiot, you do realize?" she snapped back, covering her rising unease with a bristling retort. "For wanting to join the Assassins, I mean," she finally proclaimed the thoughts that she harbored on the subject, ever since she'd overheard his desire to join the merry ride.

"And why not? I have the skills, might as well put them to a good cause. Traveling around the world getting rid of the bad guys? Yep, that sounds like a nice deal to me. Why do you think I'm not up to it?"

"Well, for a start, you've likely never even saved anyone's life if you had the choice!"

"That's harsh. And so untrue."

"I don't believe you."

Jake just shrugged, pulling out a cigarette and lighting it up. "Frankly, I couldn't care less. I was just pointed in your direction by that Diego guy." Before he had the chance to put it into his mouth, though, she plucked it out of his fingers. "If you wanted one, you could have just asked," he rolled his eyes as she took a drag, and began to walk away from him. "Hey! About that burrow...?"

"Ask around. There's got to be someone around who is willing to take a stray in."

"I wonder, will you show the same hospitality to your sister?"

"I doubt she'd care, as long as she's with her betrothed," she called over her shoulder.

"You obviously don't know her very well," he snorted, pulling out another smoke. Suddenly, it fell from his hand as his eyes widened.

"Her WHAT?"

He could have sworn her shoulders shook with laughter. He ground his teeth, and broke into a run, catching up to her with ease. She was indeed silently laughing, her smile shining beautifully, flashing an even set of white teeth and small dimples in her cheeks. A diamond to take any man's breath away. And Jake was a particularly greedy one...

"Did you not know?" She showed completely false shock at his expression, "I guess she didn't tell you yet."

"Where are the love-birds, anyway?" he growled, ignoring her mocking remark.

"Well, one of them is right behind you," Ezio's calm voice came from...well, surprise, behind them. Both of them turned sharply, Jake's gun out and pointing at Ezio's head reflexively, only to be swiftly intercepted. Ezio batted away his wrist with a sharp slap, the weapon taken out of his loosened grip and in turn, pointed at him. All in the matter of a few seconds, and without so much as a breath of effort from Ezio. Eve arched a brow of rare surprise, Jake rendered speechless, his mouth hanging open.

The two stared at each other for a long moment, and then Jake rolled his eyes, holding out his hand for his weapon. "Reflex."

"_Stesso_."

Ezio's lips twitched into a smile.

The next moment, both men broke into loud, hooting laughter, scaring away the stray sparrow that was pouncing on the ground. Once they calmed down, Ezio flicked his wrist, handing the gun back handle first, still grinning broadly.

"Idiots," Eve muttered, turning away from the jokers.

"Ah, don't be so cold, sweetheart." Jake was going to swing his arm over her shoulders, but her glare told him plainly that that was a bad idea, "We're just having fun."

"I'll take this to mean I'm forgiven?" Ezio's smirk showed that he hardly needed forgiveness, but nonetheless, Jake played along, pulling on a grim expression.

"Oh, we'll see. Don't know what Eden sees in you, but my previous threat still holds."

"Speak of the devil- isn't that her over there?" Eve suddenly said in a strange voice. Both men turned around in the direction. The said "devil" was almost totally on the other side of the compound, walking away from Diego's office. Though she was not heading towards them, but rather, out the gate. "She's rather pissed off-"

"Eden got angry?" Ezio almost couldn't believe his ears, "What the hell did he say to her?"

"I'm not sure, but I think I know the gist of it."

"I'll go to her before she decides to massacre something."

Eve caught up with Ezio quickly, leaving a somewhat surprised Jake behind. "I'll come with you. I know where she's going."

"How?"

She snorted, "I haven't seen her in years, but think I know my own sister. She is going to the exact same spot that I did when I first arrived to this place."

"For the last few days she's been anything but stable. If she's angry already, your presence might send her into another frenzy," he told her with disapproval.

She just shrugged, brushing off his hand and turning to face him with a raised eyebrow. "And what would happen if we left her alone right now?" After a moment of thought, Ezio visibly shuttered. "Exactly. Besides, Eden is at an edge anyway. I remember she could not stay depressed or even angry for too long."

"Things have changed," he insisted.

"Not by much. All she needs right now is to blow off some steam."

"Even if she does, she'll still have to at the very least hurt something to calm down completely." Ezio knew of the little tick of hers. As even when she got a hold of her emotions, they were still there, at least until her next kill. A rather unhealthy habit that she developed through the years. But so far, it did a good job in letting out her emotions before they became a storm, considering they killed so often in the line of work.

"And luckily I know exactly the target for that purpose. Now let's go."

* * *

Admittedly, I liked this graveyard better than the grim fields of crooked crosses and gray stones and obelisks that I saw sometimes. The grave I sat in front of was exactly the same as the next one, and the next; marble white, smooth and baring the symbol of assassins right below the edge, where others would have put a cross.

There were flowers on this one, too, just like the rest. Red tones only, poppies, roses, orchids and peonies. All a deep scarlet color that reminded me of fresh blood. They pleasantly clashed with the milky white stone, I assume keeping to the traditional color scheme of the order. The only thing that was different on this gravestone was the inscription and epitaph. There was no date of birth or death, strangely. Nor were there any on the graves to either side of it either.

_"Maxim Cleare_

_Fate prevails."_

A strange epitaph, I mused. Simple, to the point, and very true. Perhaps in such a blunt way that he meant to say that no matter what, death is imminent. Or maybe he thought of something completely different?

I guess I'd never know.

When I thought he was alive, I wondered where he went. When I accepted his death, I still wondered where his body was buried. Now that I was in front of it, I was not sure how to react. My hand delicately traced the name carved into the stone, and the words below it, wondering what he'd say to me if he could see me. Would he be proud? Or would he just shake his head at my stupidity, and scold me as if I was a five-year-old stealing cookies before dinner? Not that he ever scolded me- just pressed a finger to his lips, glanced towards the room where mom was, and lifted me up to the highest shelf so I could grab the cookies.

A small smile appeared on my lips without me even realizing. My hand fell back to the box in my hands that I still didn't open, as if dreading the contents for some reason.

"You know, I don't think I ever hesitated this much before opening something. Which is strange - I doubt it's going to explode. It should be no problem, right, Dad?"

The slight change in the wind was my only answer. I smiled bitterly.

"I never thought you left me anything. After all, you didn't even tell me who you really were. Or that I could have had a completely different life if I just knew to look for this place all those years ago..."

My fingers slipped under the string binding the package, and with a quick slice of my knife, it fell off. I tried not to think of it as something that belonged to my father, but rather, like a harmless birthday present.

After a moment of shock, I shut my eyes tightly, and chuckled, shaking my head. "You know, most dads give their daughter's presents in shape of money, cars, jewelry...but this is rather original. It's like you knew!" My hands slipped over the rough leather and metal construction of the hidden blade, grazing it gently. "Easily concealed, hard to break, no one expects it. Where have you kept it all those years, I wonder?"

The bracer slipped onto my arm, adding unfamiliar weight to it. It was definitely lighter than I expected. I tried it out, cautiously, keeping my hand out of the blade's way. I shouldn't have worried, though. It extended with a click, and locked into place, the metal lying in my hand almost like a dagger.

"Interesting," I muttered, tracing over the mechanism. It lacked the pistol that Ezio's had, but I noticed the thin needle used for delivering poison. It seemed a bit more defined, light and precise. But still of the same construction that I watched Leonardo fix so long ago. I concluded that it was heirloom in essence, perhaps passed down father to son, mother to daughter, which would explain why it was not more technologically advanced than Ezio's blades. For the sake of legacy, no doubt.

I smiled suddenly, letting the blade silently slide back into the bracer. "Really, I'm not sure it can go without a purpose though. Who's heart would you want me to stab it into?"

"How about the reason our mother is dead?"

I smiled. "So you decided to start talking to me again?"

"In a sense. Mostly I just want to know why you're falling apart so easily. I don't ever remember you being this weak."

"If you were someone else, I'd probably punch you by now," I sighed. "I'm not weak." I quickly moved to my feet, definitely feeling a lot more calm than I did ten minutes ago, though a lot of my emotions were still compressed by the strange, soothing atmosphere of this graveyard. "I know what to do now."

"Yell it out for me then. I did the same when I found out, and I felt much better."

I looked at her strangely, but realized she wasn't kidding. She was right; right now, I wanted to yell. Calm or not, I wanted to throw all of it up into the air, and scream my lungs out.

And I did. I took a deep breath, and-

* * *

Jake was slowly finishing his last cigarette while sitting in the shade of the nearby tree, finally taking a breather for what seemed like the first time in a few days now. He leaned his head back, and closed his eyes. He felt very safe inside the compound, though his experience has taught him that nowhere is safe. Just safer, mostly. Yet being surrounded by walls, people, and assassins somehow put his mind at ease.

"Hey, are you new around here?"

He looked around at the man with surprise, but nodded.

"You're welcome to our fire if you want. We're cooking pork today, and you look hungry."

Slowly, almost disbelievingly, Jake smiled. "So there are good people in the world!"

"You're from the city, aren't you? All those who come here from there say that," the man grinned. "I guess we show a bit more hospitality than they do over there."

"I'll say!" He stood up, still smiling at the revelation and fell into step with the man.

All of a sudden, an entire flock of birds rose into the air at the earth-shattering scream.

"-I'M GOING TO KILL THAT BASTARD FOR WHAT HE DID! THAT DOUBLE-CROSSING FREAK, I'LL SKIN HIM ALIVE, I'LL MAKE HIM WISH HE WAS NEVER-"

The man beside him jumped slightly, but Jake, recognizing the voice (which began to swear in Italian at that point), just asked, "So, pork, huh?"

* * *

I was breathing heavily, leaning onto my knees under the slightly amazed stared of both Ezio and Eve. Then I straightened out, stretched, and smiled to the setting sun.

"You're right, I do feel better."

"Any time."

"Are you okay?" Ezio asked, his voice slightly hoarse, and I nodded enthusiastically.

"Hell yes! Let's take on the world!" Then, in a slightly apologetic tone, added, "Sorry for your bleeding eardrums and the fact that I've been a wet blanket for two weeks now. And Eve? Well, I get it if you don't want to hear this now, but I'm sorry…for _everything_."

"Apologies will all be accepted as soon as Larry is dealt with." She still sounded a bit stunned as she turned around and walked back to the gates.

I, meanwhile, grinned broadly at Ezio, who suddenly returned the smile and even began to chuckle.

"I don't think I have ever seen your mood change so quickly, _bella_." He swept me into a hug, still laughing so hard his entire frame was shaking.

"I haven't either. But the day is turning out much better than I thought at first. Aside from the fact that I just found out Larry was behind my mom's and Eve's incidents, and Alex's and Dani's accidents," I took a breath/ "But now, all I want to do is cut that son of a bitch into pieces and go home. Enough is enough. No more running, no more fear, and no more childish sulking."

"I like the way you think." The malicious tone of his voice was unmistakable. Especially as his hazel gaze glittered with anticipation at the bloodletting that would soon follow in Larry's wake. Without question, the assassin's instinct was awakened, prepared for what was to come. It was in his blood, after all. His inheritance, for better or worse.

Such was the case for me as well, even 500 hundred years later. Certain things did not thin out with generations...

"Yes, I'm quite proud of myself, too."

Larry would rue the day he ever crossed me, or any of those I'd loved. Assuming he even lived that long, of course…


	38. Chapter 37

We were whispering quietly, not really wanting or needing to raise our voices.

"Would it work?"

"I don't see why not," I mumbled from where I lay on my side, spooned against him. "The more I think about it - something that's hard to do when you keep doing that, by the way."

"_Mi dispiace_." I could feel his grin along my shoulder blade. His hands didn't still though, maneuvering their way beneath the hem of my shirt, and continuing to draw lazy, swirling patterns along the bare skin of my stomach. "So what do you think?"

"Millie is an excellent tracker, so I have no doubt they'll be here by evening. And Garrett is decent with a gun. Not to mention, the only thing that's left of the people he pins are puddles and smears…stop laughing! For your information, obesity is nothing funny."

"Sorry," he repeated, though I had a hard time concealing a grin, too. "Continue."

"His Gorillas, Kurt and Burt, are basically like him, too, and they never work alone. The trio is inseparable. And considering Kyle and Jordan can't be with them..."

"Can Millie hold her own?"

"Yeah. But-"

"Hm?"

"I don't know. It's just that…well, it used to be that we were about tied in close-range shooting and dancing our way out of trouble and into the enemies' vital points."

"Yes, I remember that style of fighting. You put me to the ground within moments, and I couldn't figure out how the hell none of my hits landed."

"The same way you beat the snot out of me with various swords and maces?" I chuckled. "Besides, you've gotten better since then. Naturally, as it seems to be in your blood."

"And it's not in yours? I'm not sure if you noticed, but your knife-throwing has never been better, and you've become much stronger and definitely a lot faster. Not to mention, you use those blades as if they are part of your hands. And you have a hidden blade now, too..."

"Plus a few smoke bombs, needles, better gymnastics and acrobatics, and Eagle Vision, courtesy of your patience in training me." I thought about it for a second, and then grinned, "I kick ass."

He shook with silent laughter. "I'm afraid to help grow your ego further, but yes, you do. You were certainly not wasting those last three years. They've had the total of three weeks, so I doubt that they are any different than since you last knew them."

"Larry is smart though," I frowned, "And he doesn't care about losing a tool or two, or four to get to his goal-"

"Eve."

"Hmm. If he grew up in this compound and managed to get out of it without being seen, he might remember how to get back inside. So I'm just worried that he will turn this trap against us."

"Would he trust Millie and Garrett to take care of us?"

"I'm not sure. It's like him to do something we don't even expect. But then again, I think I've known him for long enough to know his train of thought."

"Would the _bastardo_ try to get you to come back?"

"Only if he kills Eve, you, and perhaps Jake. He knows I would never come back if I still had something to fight him for. But he's arrogant enough to think I'd drop everything and join a man who killed my family," I snorted. Burying further into Ezio's embrace, a shiver of pleasure ran down my spine. His arms tightened, and he settled his chin into the crook of my neck. His stubble scratched, but I didn't really care. "But it's never going to happen."

"Yes, I doubt he can ever kill me," he carelessly shrugged, the brazen confidence obvious in his voice. Though I didn't blame him. Especially as he continued, "And your sister has the Piece of Eden to protect her."

I nodded along. "And Jake would never go down without a fight, especially when he is so close to freedom." We stayed silent for a bit, and I was beginning to doze off when a sudden thought hit my head. "You know, I'm glad that you're here, by the way," I whispered, "If it was anyone else, I'd be worried sick, and likely near throwing up in a corner somewhere."

"If it was anyone else, you wouldn't get so close to them in the first place," he smirked, seemingly pleased with himself. "I know you; you always go against the whole 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer' principle."

"Oh yes, I'd rather have my friends at least in eyesight where I can defend them, and my enemies as far away from them as possible. But it's so much easier to defend others when there's only a handful of them... and when most can take care of themselves."

I moved quickly to hover over Ezio, flattening the pillow on either side of his head. He barely twitched an eyebrow, looking at me with slight curiosity…and a whole lot of eagerness. "And there I thought we'd get some sleep. But if this is what you prefer, _cara_, then- hey, stop biting! I'm just assuming from your sudden energy that - not the ear!"

"I will continue if you don't get your mind out of the gutter."

"My poor ears. I guess I never liked them that much anyway."

I snorted, settling down on his chest. Sad that we had to spend the night fully dressed and at the ready. And the fact that Jake could be heard snoring in the next room. It really put a damper on our night, to say the least...

"Remind me why I agreed to marry you again?"

"Because I'm handsome, charming, rich, and talented," he counted off on his fingers with a flourish. "Did I mention handsome? And rich? And let us not forget, oh so _very_ good in-"

"Alright, alright!" I laughed quietly, nipping on his collarbone to stop that particular flow of thoughts, "You have me convinced."

"Not going to run out on me, are you?" He was still joking, but I could hear a note of worry.

"Run out on you? Wouldn't dream of it! But you know, you somehow seem less the type to actually get married, and more of the type a married woman would cheat on her husband with."

"So what do you suggest? Get you married to some poor rich bastard with steel nerves?"

"Aren't you a rich bastard with steel nerves?" I looked at him with surprise, "I mean, if you think about it, it's pretty true. We have more money and contacts than some noble families do, a beautiful villa in a countryside town, which you and Claudia managed to rebuild to its former glory. Then there's the fact that your nerves must be even stronger than steel, considering that you've somehow accomplished the unbeatable feat of living with me for this long."

"Oh, yes, those were very trying three years...ow, the ear, _bella!_"

"Idiot," I affectionately nuzzled his neck, "It's morning already, and we got only about three hours of sleep tonight."

"So? Another half an hour won't change anything, right?" His hand ran up my thigh under the covers.

"Sorry, Ezio. I'd really rather not have my best friend in the other room."

"Oh, so having the entire Palazzo della Seta outside our room is fine, then?" he nearly pouted. Admittedly, he was hard to resist…but we had far more important concerns at the present.

"That's different. They know what we're doing, so we may as well give them proper material for gossip. Jake thinks of me as a little sister, and how would you react if you heard Claudia-"

"Okay, okay, don't finish that thought," he shuddered, "I get it." After a moment, he gently touched my hair, thoughtfully weaving it through his fingers. I almost purred, feeling like a well-treated cat at that moment. "So you're not having second thoughts?"

"_Per favore_, Ezio. Now, _I'm_ not going to let you go anywhere. I mean, who else can kick ass, make good conversation, and generally make me feel like I'm the most loved woman on earth?"

"I do what I can, _amore_." I think he was flattered. "Oh, and Eden?"

"Yeah?"

"You smell like cherries again."

"Excuse me?" I wanted to lift myself up to look into his face from above again. But that would mean taking my hair from his fingers, and I didn't want that.

"When we met," he hurried to explain, "You smelt like apples and cherries, aside from all the other scents."

"You noticed?"

"Kind of hard not to. But then the cherries sort of aired out, but I smell it again."

I suddenly began to laugh as I realized what he was talking about. "That's my shampoo."

"What's that?"

"Liquid soap, made especially for hair," I smiled. "Doesn't make your hair as rough, and makes it shine…so what's your excuse?"

"_Che cosa?"_

"Your hair," I laughed, "It's always so damn shiny, I'm just saying-"

"Are you saying I have the hair of a woman?" he asked incredulously, though he didn't bother to hide the laughter dancing around the edges of his voice.

"Hey, all I'm saying is that when we first met, it was technically longer than mine-"

"You're a harridan!" he said with accusation, though his fingers still continued their work through my own hair, which was definitely not short now- it reached down past my shoulder blades. "_Jesu Cristo, _I'm marrying a shrew!"

"Watch it, buddy!" I lightly smacked him along the shoulder.

And then, he burst out laughing again. "Fine, fine, I admit it; I like that you've let your hair grow out."

Since I'd been in his time, I'd allowed it to grow beyond the shaggy bob I wore in New York, though I kept it braided back for the most part. "Anyway, the shampoo is scented. So I guess right before I met you, the smell of cherries was around, and I ate apples regularly. I took a shower while you were asleep in my apartment, so it came back."

"Ah. Can't say I mind."

"We got really side-tracked, didn't we?" I muttered, moving away from the comfortable subject with reluctance. "We were finishing up the plan for tonight."

"Yes, though somehow weddings and soap seem a more cheerful subject. But, as you wish."

After a pause, I asked, "Do_ you_ think it's going to work?"

"When have your plans ever failed?"

"Good point. Let's just hope Larry doesn't realize that that."

* * *

Jake was in a fairly good mood, considering everything. Cleanly shaven, well fed and rested, he decided it was a good omen. Though there was a little itch somewhere in his liver that worried his intuition. But he waved it off, thinking it was just the fact that he hadn't had anything stronger than coffee to drink, for almost a week.

Eve had a surprisingly large house, though she claimed that usually she shared with two other women. However, one was away on a mission, and the other was... well, dead. She also happened to be an excellent cook, so when Jake got back outside, he felt like he could take on the entire world.

The Fortress was fascinating to watch from his favored tree, since he had never seen anything quite like this. The families looked...normal, for the most part. Though he could see one of the women taking out a rather large dagger to wave after her husband. The unfortunate man had slipped out from the house before she could ask him to do a chore. As a result, his wife waved it around with strength that Jake rarely ever saw in women. Not far away from them, a group of children were practicing knife-throwing. They looked only about eight to ten years old, yet the target was swaying slightly as they almost completely flawlessly hit it. Another kid was loudly bragging to his friend how he got his first mission. The open barn that Jake could see inside of, he realized that a woman was standing and yelling something to the ceiling, where at least three young students were balancing on the beams.

"Impressive, isn't it?" Eden slipped down onto the grass beside him, drawing her knees to herself. He glanced at her sideways, and nodded.

"Yes. It's strange how they all seem so happy with their lives here, even though they are being raised to kill," he mused thoughtfully.

"It's all they know. Besides, their parents are with them, encouraging it," she smirked, "Can you imagine growing up in a place like this?"

For a moment, he thought about it, and shook his head. She continued to smile lightly, leaning her head back onto the tree.

"You could have told me you were going to marry him, by the way."

"How did you find that out?" she asked with surprise.

"Eve."

"Figures. Well, it all just sort of...happened. I was a little shocked too. Actually, I sort of had to go to Milano the next morning, so I had almost three weeks to think about it."

"And you said yes?"

She grinned again, and that smile told him that she did not regret her decision. "It's a long, boring story, not even worthy of one of those romance books you keep under your pillow."

"Har har. Sometimes I get the feeling you spy on me," he muttered sourly. "It's just- be careful."

"Oh, Jake, no! Not the big brother talk!" she whined, and he just had to laugh. However, he frowned again.

"I'm serious. When-" the thought made his throat dry and his chest tighten uncomfortably, "When Dani and I were going to elope, that was all I could think of. I think Larry noticed I was distracted - I almost got myself killed. And when she died…well, I'm not going to lie; it hurt like a bitch."

"You don't have to tell me," she pursed her lips.

"I think it wouldn't have hurt anywhere as much if I didn't tie myself to her in the first place. And she would have still be out there, alive and breathing if I didn't draw Larry's attention to her." His fists clenched, his breathing becoming shallow and harsh before he swiftly collected himself.

"I think I know where you're going with this," understanding dawned on her face. "But to tell the truth, I'm not worried about that."

"Are you so sure he won't go the same way as Alex?"

She suddenly threw her head back, a playful smile appearing on her lips. "Ezio, I think Jake is doubting your abilities. Or maybe he thinks that I've gotten rusty after three years?"

"Not very smart of him..." The assassin dropped down as lightly as a cat would, the tree branches above Eden and Jake barely even swaying in response. Neither of them was particularly startled, the Assassin's ability to silently pop up in the most random of places was pretty common now. "Shall we?" he grinned back at her, giving her his hand, and pulling her up.

"What are you doing?" Jake asked grimly, not liking their expressions one bit.

"A little bit of practice. For morale," Eden winked at him. "Feel free to join us later on."

"Excuse me?"

"And get your mind out of the sewers."

Jake didn't understand what the hell she meant. At least, not until they entered the practice rink that was very close to the tree he sat beneath. Their intention finally dawned to him, and he settled in more comfortably, facing in their direction, suddenly curious. Eden was, after all, his student. He wanted to see how much she progressed.

The two stood opposite each other, their stances completely relaxed, still staring at each other with warm smiles. The change was sudden and subtle- both their movements suddenly became even more controlled and graceful. They stood for only a second more, and then began to move at almost the exact same time.

Jake gave a bit of a start as he watched the blade Ezio aimed so carelessly at her throat being easily deflected by a knife that appeared in Eden's hand out of nowhere. And then...

After a few stunned moments, he realized that it wasn't even a fight where they used real weapons instead of practice ones. No, calling it a fight would be almost blasphemy. It was a dance. A flawless work of art, hypnotizing in its sorcery, the rhythm and music heard only by them. Even though Jake could see that they were fighting for real. If even one of those strikes ever landed, Ezio's throat would be cleanly cut through by Eden's flashing blade, and Eden would be dead at the force he was going at her.

Yet none of those hits ever landed. Squinting and attempting to separate the two flashing shadows, he could see some of Eden's teachings in Ezio. Like the way he'd completely move out of harm's way with minimal movement. And she'd improved so much, he almost couldn't believe that it was really Eden, the girl that he taught almost everything he knew. It just all seemed so minimal now.

"Are their eyes_... glowing?_" Jake at first thought it was a trick of light. But when they stopped for a quick breath, he realized that their eyes were indeed glowing an unnatural yellow color. Eden's a bit more faded than Ezio's, but still very visible, even in the broad daylight.

They were truly a weird pair...

There was no doubt though. Jake could never stand against either of them. It was then he realized it with a sudden clarity; if they could go full force on each other this way, he was almost afraid to think of what happened to those who were even a tiny bit slower. And when they were together...

He grinned suddenly - Larry didn't stand a chance. He would have no idea what hit him.

Eve was standing not far away, watching as the pair drew a crowd of whistling men and curious children. For some reason, she was frowning, her eyes looking somewhere beyond the compound, as if arguing something with her little artifact. For some reason, Jake did not like the way she twisted her lips strangely, and turned away. Focusing his attention back to Eden and Ezio, he simply wondered what her problem was.

* * *

If there was one thing Larry hated, it was, well, being betrayed. But another thing was traps. Especially such obvious ones that reminded him more of a desperate move of amateurs, rather than his students that used to be his pride.

"Are they laughing at us?" Millie asked rhetorically, hurling broken twig in her hand to the forest floor. A trail of those twigs, strings, hairs and disturbed leaves was behind and in front of them. It was so painfully obvious that even Garrett could have easily followed it on his own.

"Quite possible," he replied curtly, continuing to carefully step over the roots and bushes, one hand on his gun, the other on his switch-blade.

_My Eden would never make mistakes like these. I could expect it from Jake, but if she is with him...does she think she can outsmart us?_ The group stopped and Larry's frown became even more pronounced. _Or do you actually have something planned?_

On the tree in front of them, there were three arrows carved out, each leading in a different direction.

"That bitch." A note of fascination passed in Millie's harsh voice. "What do we do, boss?"

"What they want us to do. Split up."

"Is that a smart move?"

"Are you questioning me?"

Garrett's spine snapped up unnaturally straight under the freezing glare. He stiffly shook his head.

"Good. Garrett, boys, take left. Millie, Right. I sincerely hope you can deal with the targets." After a moment, he nodded along to his thoughts. "Kill on sight. They won't go down easily."

_I don't know what game you're playing, little girl_, he thought angrily, _But no matter what you think, you are still mine. Three weeks have not changed anything...I know your every move.

* * *

_

It was the first time I noticed that the trees were rather lovely this time of year. With all planning Ezio and I had furiously undertaken, I never had the chance to stop and admire the beauty of mid-fall. As if a child with bright paints was let loose in the forest, the leaves ranged from a persistent shade of dark green to vivid yellows and reds. Most had already begun to crunch, breaking away from the safety of their branches, and falling down to land softly on to the moss-covered ground.

I caught one, twirling it in my hands. Birch. Strange, considering I was sitting in a maple tree. Then again, the gusting wind liked to play with the loose leaves bits of branches as much as school boys liked to throw their toys around. I let it finish its fall unharmed, watching.

Listening.

Feeling.

Now that I was calm again, with nothing but cold determination left, I could focus my Eagle Vision properly again. I made sure of it in the practice match with Ezio. I didn't bother to let the forest sink into further darkness, as it was dark enough with the sunset two hours behind. I limited myself with the other senses. The smell of wet moss. The creaking of leaves as a mouse ran past, seeking refuge. A small, triumphant hoot of an owl as it noticed the said mouse. Its final squeaks as it became dinner….

I'd never been in a forest. Well, actually I had in passing, in Italy, but we always seemed to be rushing somewhere. So I never really had the chance to stop and look around, or listen to the noises that the unaware animals made as they hunted one another. I never really had much of a draw to the wild-life, anyway. Frankly, I had enough predator-prey games in my profession. But right now, it was... nice. Almost breathtaking. There they were, those owls and mice, with only one reason in mind - to hunt and run away. It was nothing personal to them, just survival and instinct. I doubt they had grudges for one another, or harbored complicated feelings such as betrayal, history, morals.

_Intruder._

I felt her careful steps in the ground, lightly echoing so silently that if it was anyone else in my place, they wouldn't even feel the tiny vibrations that Eagle Vision amplified.

My mouth twisted into a malicious smirk as my nose caught the smell of the cheap perfume Millie bothered with for no reason. Combined with the leftover cigarette smoke that hung on her clothes and the gunpowder in her weapon, she was unmistakable. I blinked, and her red aura shined cuttingly into my eyes through the leaves below.

Millicent, or Millie, was a Chinese-American woman of about twenty, with short black hair and a malicious squint to her dark eyes. She was also a self-proclaimed rival to me, though I never cared enough to really try. The only other girl that survived the first few years, she was prized by Larry as one of the best trackers in the entire gang.

The only sad part was, while I at least attempted to hold onto on to some morals and humanity through those years, she let go of it all, almost eagerly.

There were days when she'd ask me (more like order) to fight her, as if trying to prove once and for all that she was the better woman. I said yes only once, after a particularly harsh mission that left me very frustrated, even at its successful completion. After ten minutes of struggle, during which she proved to be challenging, I laid her flat on her back. I don't think she ever really let that go...

If I was superior then, I had no doubts about now. It was almost unfair - I had three more years over her. The gap between our abilities grew longer, and she didn't even know about it.

I almost casually stepped lower, and flicked my wrist in a familiar gesture.

Her reflexes kicked in immediately at the whistling sound, and she jerked away at the last second as my knife pierced the air only an inch away from her nose. It took her only another moment to figure out what was happening, and then she tilted her head back and pointed the gun into mess of leaves and sky in my general direction. In the bright outlines, I saw the muscle of her cheek jerk, her eyes narrowing dangerously.

I expected nothing less. Inferior or not, she still had years of training. I dropped down onto the branch above her head, nearly ripping away the material of my glove against the harsh bark as I kicked the weapon out of her hands. It cluttered uselessly to the ground, lost somewhere in the shrubbery. My boot would have connected with her face, next, but she managed to jerk away yet again.

I let the branch go and fell to the ground, sending the leaves spiraling around me.

"Hi, Millie, haven't seen you in a while." Had I not been glaring, my smile could have actually passed for a friendly one. She replied to me in kind, and flicked her switchblade open.

"You do know we've seen through your little trap from the beginning?" she called mockingly, not bothering to take cover as I showed plainly I wouldn't take my own gun out, limiting myself with my favorite dagger.

My smirk didn't falter. "Yet you followed it exactly as you were supposed to. So let me ask-"

She likely didn't even see my hand as another throwing knife grazed her neck, and embedded into the tree behind her. To her credit, she didn't flinch or gasp at the pain, just slapped her hand over it as if trying to kill an insect. Rather, the rage in her eyes intensified further.

"Are you perhaps that arrogant? Or just plain suicidal?" she growled, and began her charge.

"Probably both, then," I noted grimly, easily side stepping and moving out of her reach. Her knife slashed through the empty air that used to be my throat.

I sighed. Years ago, her speed matched my own. And now...it was not even a challenge.

"So where's Jake?" she snarled, "I thought you'd be hiding behind his back, like always?"

"Pathetic taunts, sloppy skills...you haven't changed one bit."

This time she took a smarter approach. Taking a calming breath, she allowed me the first move. I decided that it was enough stalling; at this pace, we would be here all night, exchanging remarks and threats. And I really wanted to meet up with the boys again to see how things were going on their end. We'd purposely killed our communication as soon as our trackers were in the area, just so they wouldn't be able intercept it through the little headphone that was in Millie's ear.

I used the darkness to my advantage as I approached. She thought I was a lot closer than I actually was, giving me the moment to grasp her wrist, directing it in a harmless direction, and slam my own into her heart.

And just... like... _that_.

I felt an unexpected rush of guilt as I felt warm blood trickle over my exposed finger tips.

That was too easy. I didn't think it would be...that simple to kill someone who trained under Larry himself.

Her free hand made an attempt to get to my throat, but she didn't even brush my skin. I let her fall, then, withdrawing my dagger from her ribcage. The forest ground, still soft with mud, greeted her almost eagerly.

She was a tracker and a decent enough shooter. But not a fighter. She carried a knife only for those melee situations she couldn't escape. Larry knew this, yet he still sent her alone. After _me_, who, forgive me this immodesty, was one of his best killers. Not to mention, I now specialized in blades almost completely, my gun all but forgotten in my bag. None of them knew that, but I wasn't exactly the worst fighter before I left, either.

I crouched down as the blood stopped flowing, and closed her eyes, muttering the now familiar prayer. The right thing would have been to bring her body back to the compound instead of having others stumble around for it later, but I simply did not have the time. I knew the others engaged Garrett and his men, so it was imperative that I meet up with them.

I began to move, pushing those thoughts away from my mind. Unfair or not, I knew that if I paused, she would not have hesitated in the slightest. Likely even draw out my death, just to see me suffer to the bitter end.

It was harder to orientate in the forest, as all the trees looked exactly the same to me. I had to rely completely on Eagle Vision to lead me to someone I'd find, even if he was buried six feet deep in Tundra. I didn't get far, however, when the borrowed communication device gave a tiny beep, calling to my attention.

"Hey."

"We're done here. How are things on your end?" Jake's voice informed me.

"Done and done."

"Same. You know, I never realized we were the best members of the gang."

"You didn't?" I snorted, and I heard him laugh. He was likely in high spirits. If only because if there was no ban on serious fighting in between members, he would have killed Garrett long ago. Now that he did, he must have felt somewhat like what I would likely feel as soon as I got my hands on Larry.

"Yes, and you picked quite a boyfriend, I have to say. I was barely finished with the main jackass, when he already downed the other two and was waiting quietly for me to wipe that idiotic grin off Garrett's face. I'll admit, the kid has some talent...stop smirking, or I'll take my words back!"

I smiled at the comment that was likely directed to Ezio himself. His ego must have swelled nicely at that, no doubt. "Well, I'm a halfway decent teacher. Did you expect anything less?"

"You are very full of yourself, hon. Glad to see that hasn't changed. Come on, we have to regroup at the compound and search for Larry."

"Are you sure he's even around?"

I knew the answer before Jake replied, though. I felt Larry like lambs felt the approach of the butcher's axe. Of how one would feel at the deadly, eternal silence of an open grave. Chilling. That feeling of inevitability that made you sick to the stomach. I felt torn between my fury and the fear that was embedded into my mind, from the years of abuse.

Thankfully, anger won.

* * *

Eve sat cross-legged on the grass beside the gates, waiting. It was strange - she knew from the Talisman that no serious harm would come to her protectors. Yet she couldn't help but worry. Eve did not like the fact that the collective forced her to stay behind the walls in safety, risking their own well-being for her. But she agreed that it was best for her to keep out of their way. Still, she felt... off.

First, there was the confusion and the grating process of trying to figure out why Eden so readily jumped to her defense. Considering she was not the best sister herself, she didn't expect it. Then again, she did tell Eden who was responsible for their tragedies, starting with their mother's death and ending with this attempt on both their lives. It didn't help clarify anything, though.

Secondly, she felt guilty. The same sister and two strangers were out the defending her, even after she acted so cold and cruel to them, when they didn't deserve it. Eden _had_ changed. She may have been a silly girl trying to play grownup when they were young. But in the end, it was hardly her fault, and she wasn't a child anymore. Sure, Jake was a killer for the wrong cause, much like her. But again, what choice did he have? And then there was Ezio, Eve's future brother-in-law. He'd only heard of her through Eden, and her image of her sister was likely not the best. Yet, instead of using her as a convenient distraction, they went out there just so the people after Eve couldn't get her. Was it because of the artifact? She decided it went deeper than that.

And third, there was a feeling that something was about to go horribly wrong. The mixed feeling where the whole reason she was sitting there, waiting for news.

And then it came.

But in a totally wrong way.

~_Danger!~_ The urgent bell from the artifact snapped her to attention. Eve moved up the wall at the same time as she felt around for the knife in her pocket. She glanced to the watchtower not too far away from her, but the guards on duty seemed to sense nothing wrong.

_~Walk towards center. Slowly. Don't panic~_ The instructions were quick, snappy, and almost...desperate. She realized what that meant - she didn't have many options of escape, whoever it was already caught sight of her. Nonetheless, she walked so that she was in clearer sight of the guards, gates. The usual unofficial celebration of yet another day survived had ended a few hours earlier, so now the entire place was silent, except for a few stray rebellious children. The sense of danger only grew, and she had to really work as to not panic.

It was familiar. Too familiar. It reminded her of six years previous, when she was still unused to the whispering in her mind.

"Hello little girl."

The man back then said the same thing.

She tightly shut her eyes, trying to breathe, and turned around very slowly. Her jaw jumped, the oxygen refusing to enter her throat for some reason. And she soon realized that she was absolutely terrified.

"Or, I suppose not so little?"

Eve finally understood exactly what caused both Eden's and Jake's eyes to flash with almost uncontrollable fear when Larry was so much as mentioned in the passing. She remembered those eyes - those cold bottomless pits that promised only the fires of hell at the very end. She sensed now the fear that his presence radiated, like it had all those years ago. And she couldn't understand how her sister could have spent so long wrapped up in that presence.

Within a minute, Eve was starting to go from horrified to righteously pissed off, just from the painful memory alone.

~_Back away! Don't let him notice! No one sees you, he doesn't need you alive, he will kill you!~_ The artifact was going insane, too, the mumbling inside her head getting louder and more urging, not helping her concentrate one bit.

"Ah, it's so good to be back home!" The man had something that resembled a smile on his lips, the barrel of the gun still aimed directly to her heart. He stood only about ten steps away, but it was close enough. "Sad that they've taken to housing traitors. But you're going to help me fix that."

"If you think that Eden will try and save me again, you're wrong." Eve wasn't even sure how she managed to speak, but felt very proud that her voice didn't crack or go quiet. "I made sure of that."

"Ah, but that's where you're wrong! Eden seems to have undergone quite a few changes in character. Likely because of that pup that's tagged after her! A sad fact that will be fixed with your death. And then there's the little payment that's offered for that necklace of yours. And of course, Jake will come looking when Eden doesn't return, one way or another...sort of like three birds with one stone, no?"

He was insane. Absolutely off his rocker to such a degree, that she was not sure whether or not to be scared of him, due to his madness or his willing to kill without so much as a second thought or regret. The man was fueled by only efficiency, all semblance of humanity gone long ago. If it had even been there in the first place.

Larry was sure that Eden would seek revenge. Or join him again. Two options that Eve suddenly wasn't so certain of anymore.

Eve was anything but selfish. There were some very strong reasons for her to stay alive, including the fact that the artifact could be passed onto anyone at her death. Including the wrong hands that Assassins struggled to keep it out of. Not to mention the fact that Ezio spoke the truth - Eden was pushed far enough as it was...

"I'll go," she whispered.

"Actually, I think it's easier to just kill you."

The gloating, maniac smile led into a suppressed gunshot.

She couldn't help it then.

She screamed at the same time as her eyes shut.

The next thing she knew, she crashed into the ground,_ hard_. A gasp. Blood still pounding in her ears. A cry of disbelief. And then triumph, followed by a quiet, cat-like run.

Eve opened her eyes, surprised that she still could. Only to realize that the collision was not caused by a bullet, but rather, her own sister.

"Are you alright?" Eden was almost unnaturally loud as she got up in a swift movement, pulling Eve along with her. The younger sister did a double take, and then felt her chest, making sure, but finding no hole. Eden let out a breath of relief, but it was cut off by another thud against the ground.

"_Merda!_ Eden, hurry up, he took the bullet," Ezio called. Though his voice was calm, it wasn't hard to miss the frantic tone clawing beneath it. The two turned to see him kneeling over Jake, who was lying at a strange angle of the ground, his hand gripping his lower ribcage. It was the same spot where Eve stood just moments ago.

"Oh, _fuck_-" Eden hurriedly dropped to her knees beside him, holding his chin in her hands.

"Always wondered what being shot felt…like." He was still wide awake, an almost mocking smirk on his lips, which were twisted in pain. The blood was hardly noticeable on his black shirt in the middle of the night, but Eve saw it burst out from under his fingers. "Not quite as nice as I imagined it..."

"Very funny!" Eden snarled, her own hand grasping over his, blocking the spilling blood. "You should do stand up comedy, you absolute retard! Don't you dare close your eyes, or I will personally go to hell and bring you back, just so I can kill you myself!"

She was babbling.

Eve finally connected the dots. She was standing over there. The three must have made it in time, though they did three different things. Eden tackled Eve out of the way, Ezio must have made an attempt at Larry, and Jake…took the bullet for her?

"Guess the princess just lost her key argument." Strange, how before death people could say the weirdest things. "It's alright, I regret…nothing."

"Yeah, yeah. You should also say how this isn't the end. Or send a plague upon our houses." Eden scrambled for something in her belt pouches, but her hands were sticky with his blood. Besides, what could she do? The noise already attracted attention, but would the residents and guards make it in time to do anything...?

"Nah, it's all been done before." Blood bubbled and spilled through the corners of his mouth.

"And what you're offering is so much more original? You're strangely talkative for someone about to kick it - I said don't close your eyes, _dammit!_" she smacked him on the cheek. He reeled, eyes snapping open, almost as though nothing was wrong.

"Trust me, _amico," _Ezio lightly snorted, though he was blinking rapidly, his gaze wide and heavy with concern as he frantically tore away Jake's shirt in an attempt to inspect the wound, "When Eden tells you do something, you'd better damn well do it."

"Like I wouldn't know that…pretty boy," Jake stammered with a fleeting smirk. "Just always wanted to say that," he whispered to Eden, "Even if it's not- true..."

"What, and now you're calling me ugly? _Cazzo! _I am offended!" Ezio snorted with a mirthless chuckle, pressing his hand into the wound in a vain attempt to stop the blood. "It's a wonder you can shoot straight, considering that obviously, you're the blind one-"

"If you two are done being dramatic, move over!" Eve finally cut in with determination. The spell of confusion finally lifted, she all but ripped the chain off her neck. Next she pushed all the hands away from the wound. Blood happily sprayed with each beat, and Jake let out a strange groan, similar to that of a wounded wolf. "I won't lie, this is going to hurt!"

"I wonder - what that feels like-"

She held the hole between two fingers, her open palm hovering over it with the Talisman pressed into her skin by her thumb. Closing her eyes, she concentrated. After a moment, his back arched, his eyes rolling back into his head and his hands clenching so hard, his knuckles went white. Blood sprayed even higher, staining her hand.

Nothing happened for another few seconds, except that he was slowly passing out from the pain. And then the bullet whistled, and flew out of the wound and right into her open palm. She threw it away immediately.

"And what are you two waiting for?" she growled at both Eden and Ezio, who where watching the process with utter shock. Ezio crossed himself, muttering a prayer in his own language, Eden's eyes going wide, her mouth hanging open. "Go after the whole reason for this madness!"

"What about-"

"This…_selfless hero," _she hissed the words like an insult, furiously gesturing at Jake. She was not happy with this turn of events… "Will be alright. The Talisman can bring you back from the brink of death, so as long as you haven't crossed over yet. He'll be sore for a few weeks, but that's only natural. Now go! Don't let him escape, or it will make things even more god-damned ridiculous than they already are!"

Neither or them looked convinced, but they nodded in unison. Turning in the direction that Larry must have fled, they set off, dissolving in the darkness almost as quickly as they gained speed. Eve turned her attention back to Jake. The blood has stopped seeping and the tissues already began to work on kitting themselves together. Very slowly, likely very painfully, but it was happening. The guards had already made it to her, and were now watching with fascination from a few steps back.

She finished a minute later, and rocked back on her heels, sweeping her unstained wrist over her forehead. He had lost consciousness by that point, but she was sure he was out of danger. She gestured for the closest men to help her lift him.

She was grim. She did not like using the artifact for healing. For like with all things, there was a dire price to be paid for such supposed miracles. Depending on how close the man was to death, it varied. A shallow scratch or a broken bone were easily done, with only the time the healing took sacrificed. But, when it was something like this? His life-span would likely be shortened by a few months. Some would ask, "What's a few months?" Well, sometimes it could make all the difference, really...

Eve was not going to tell him that though. It was better if he could actually get some sleep tonight.

* * *

I think if we didn't know the general direction in which to move, and if we didn't have Eagle Vision leading the way, there was hardly even a chance we'd be able to track Larry down. I had little to no skills in tracking outside the cities. And even there, it was usually Jake who hacked into street cameras and bank records, which made life that much easier. In Italy, I trusted Ezio, who had a better sense of direction than me. Plus, there were the thieves, mercenaries and whores, who were all very eager to share information as soon as they were shown some money. More recently, as the power of the Assassins grew, it was sometimes just because they wanted to help.

Here, we were on our own.

"He must have known of this," I muttered as I pushed away the sloppily covered bushes. Local kids must have gouged the hole a while ago to sneak out. As the years marched on, it wore and expanded. But somehow, it'd gone unnoticed. Or perhaps, the guards knew of it and just let the kids have their fun. "There's no way to see it through all this... shrubbery."

"Ladies first," Ezio smiled, gesturing in front of himself with a flourish, causing me to roll my eyes.

"Yeah, if I don't fall into some ditch the moment I step out, you'll know it's safe. How gentlemanly of you." Nonetheless, I bravely climbed through, only to be met with the rather anti-climatic scenery I already had the pleasure of viewing for most of the night, while waiting for Millie. A few bushes were trampled, clearing a wide open path. Larry knew we'd give chase, and perhaps even wanted us to follow, so he took no care in covering his tracks. Besides, much like Jake and me, he'd spent most of his life in the city.

"You seem to be in a surprisingly good mood," Ezio noted as he got out after me.

"I'll feel my best when I get my hands on that two-faced maniac," I replied savagely. I'd run out of philosophy for one day, and the promise of this chapter finally closing made me eager. The chance at revenge was a nice motivational bonus, too. "And then we can go home."

"Yes. Home, where Templars await eagerly."

"Weren't we supposed to travel to Forli?" I remembered suddenly. "Niccolo said he'd meet us there. We had everything ready to leave right before...well, getting sucked into a tear between time and space that was opened by a magical artifact."

"I'm not sorry," he shrugged, making a move towards me, but I already managed to regain my balance after stumbling over a log. "I'm actually rather glad you have this chance at closure." After a moment, he wondered, "Are you not worried about Jake anymore?"

"Well, obviously, I am. But I trust Eve and the Piece of Eden. He'll be fine." I was certain of it. Hell, I had to be, at this point.

"So the necklace is a Piece of Eden, huh?"

Both Ezio and me froze in our step, only to immediately dive for the nearest trees. A gun fired, but we were no longer in its range.

"Fast. Nothing less than I expected from my best student."

"Your only student now, it seems," I growled. Rage had long since pushed away all the fear I had for him. "Your best are dead now, and Kyle and Jordan are far away, in either prison or underground. Let us not forget that two of your formerly best students have turned on you."

"Please, I don't need them or you." There was absolutely no surprise, regret, or even a hint of anger in his voice. Just empty arrogance. "And you have picked the wrong side."

"And you haven't, _stronzo?_" Ezio snarled, nearly just as enraged as me. I could almost literally feel the waves of rage rolling off of him, causing me to nearly take a step back as he yelled to the air. "You are working for Templars, people who want to take away the free will of _all of us_. What, do you think they are just going to let you live once you deliver them the Talisman?"

"Templars? A fairy tale, you _moron._" I shifted my eyebrows together. What did he mean? "Your side isn't so innocent. They are brainwashing those kids to go against a supposed enemy that died out centuries ago, instead of directing them to useful causes."

"Like you?" I adjusted my Eagle Vision, looking for his position. He liked to talk, so he would not attack again until he decided the conversation was over. It was the mistake he always made. He assumed that his enemies were completely at his mercy, willing to wait like mice in their holes, and for the cat to walk away or finish them. He was, in most cases, the predator. But not this time. Let him have his delusions, I could work it to our advantage...

I found Ezio with my eyes, and motioned for him to start climbing while I talked. A tiny nod, and he soundlessly caught into the branch above him. It was already creaking in the wind, so his intrusion was unnoticed.

"Me? Eden, my girl, can't you see that I was the one that made you stronger?" He was laughing now, a hollow, lifeless sound that lacked any real emotion. "I was the one to forge you into someone who could have anyone on their knees within seconds. I was the one that made you into what you are today."

"You killed my mother and boyfriend, raped my sister, and made my life hell," I spat, focusing on keeping control. _Just a little while longer…_"Is that what making me stronger is called now?"

"They were distractions. I had to get rid of them for you to really become independent. It made you stronger, didn't it? Not having to care for anyone but yourself, surviving only because you are much like an animal who will fight to the death..."

"I can't believe you actually think that. It's a pathetic excuse," I hurled back, still scanning the forest for the tell-tale, glowing red outline, "You killed them so you could use me."

"Well, I made the knife," he chuckled, the sound low and harsh…and very near. "It's only natural I'd be able to use it, right?"

I had a few more throwing knives on me, as well as a gun. So I could simply find his location and shoot him down. But stupidly, I didn't want to end it like that, at a distance. I wanted to feel his last breath. I wanted his blood on my hands and blade and his expression of pain and fear seared into my mind. That was the least I deserved after what he put me and my sister through…

"Didn't I give you everything you wanted? Skills, weapons, contacts, reputation. Yet you still ran for it. And then came back just to run again. Why?"

"Because-" _I could run for that tree over there, avoid the bullet he shoots at the first sign of movement._ "-I rather not have everyone I'm close to dead, whatever you may think."

Breath.

Go.

I shoved off the tree to the side, swiftly avoiding the roots sticking out of the ground with some effort. Adrenaline began to pump in my temples as I slid past the bark on the first tree, and then the next. Three gunshots rang behind me, and then stopped, followed by an annoyed snarl. Sparing a glance in the direction, I saw that Ezio's throwing knife had disarmed Larry of his gun. I smiled to myself at his sound of surprise.

Ezio dropped down a ways off, drawing attention to himself and giving me an opening. I ran up the tree, pushed off with all my might, and fell onto Larry with all of my weight behind me.

Unfortunate, really...his own reflexes were still good. He swiftly moved out of my way, causing my knife only slit a long cut on his cheek as I fell with a loud thud to the ground. His hand jerked my hair so hard that I hissed in pain, and I felt a knife being pressed into my throat the next second.

Ezio froze in front of me, his breath hitching in throat. Yet it was so quiet, that without my Eagle Vision, I would've completely missed it.

"Caught you," Larry whispered into my ear. My mouth twisted in disgust- he always said that when we were training and he pinned me down. In the same tone, as well, as if speaking to retarded child. "You two work rather nicely as a pair, I did not expect that. But Eden, you didn't actually think you could best me, did you?"

He couldn't see it, but I was grinning. Ezio caught sight of my smile, but didn't give away his shock or understanding- he knew what my smiles meant, and that they were never the ones of goodbye.

"Go on, try something. I dare you. It would be a shame to waste such talent, but I'm sure the world will get over it..."

I felt the first bead of blood roll down my throat. There was already a scar there from the multiple times that people had attempted to use me as a human shield. But so far, I was alive, while they'd all met an early end...

I moved quickly, before Larry could even finish talking. My left hand, the one that was out of his sight, flashed upwards, piercing his wrist with the hidden blade. And then I simply turned around in his moment of pain and confusion, slamming the same blade into his throat. He realized what was happening only a moment later, perhaps surprised by my infinitely faster movements that he was not used to. Before, he had known me off on timing by a heartbeat.

That was his downfall today. He simply didn't account for me to be any better than before I fell through time.

Larry didn't die immediately, and I did not stab the blade repeatedly into him, like I thought I'd be urged to. There was no point, his death was inevitable. One of his hands clenched at my collar in a weakening grip, but I just calmly stared into those black eyes I despised so much.

I got my wish. The blood on my hands, the last breath, the last spark of emotion in his eyes. Something I couldn't really describe…anger, confusion, shock….and pride, strangely enough.

Ezio stepped forward softly, stopping Larry's hand from gripping the knife at his side in a last effort.

"Strange, how I have my sister back and a man I love," I softly murmured into Larry's ear, "Yet I'm stronger than when you took everything from me." I chewed my lip. I felt...relieved. Calm. As if I managed to finally cut away a heavy weight from my body. "You are just a lunatic that got caught in a war you really don't know anything of. Something you deny."

He did not reply, and I didn't think he could. The death was almost painless, I suspect. And suddenly, I didn't care if he did not suffer as much as he deserved. He was dead, and would no longer cause any trouble to any of us, no longer holding back my memory. That's all that mattered. I sighed, feeling a warm hand on my shoulder.

_"Resquiescat in Pace."_

And Larry was no more. It was almost like one of those fairy tales, with a happy ending. The villain had fallen, and the beautiful princess went on to get married to the handsome prince charming.

Well, I suppose that I'm not exactly a princess (though Ezio could definitely qualify as Prince Charming). And Larry was only one of the villains we'd taken care of. But aside from that...

_Thank the Lord.

* * *

_

As I'd already learned, people in the compound worked only until the sun began to set, and then, they celebrated another day survived. However, this time, not many people really even knew what exactly the real celebration was. But plenty of them remembered Larry, many of whom wanted him dead. The news that he was no longer killing innocent people was as good a reason as any to grab some alcohol and yell out songs by the campfire.

I couldn't pull myself away from the mini parties going around, and nor did I want to. Instead, I sat on a log by one of the fires, Ezio leaning back against me, his knees drawn up. At one point, drunk on relief and copious amounts of alcohol, I began to braid his hair, stifling giggles and making sure he couldn't feel the tugs. Next to me, Jake watched the process with sadistic amusement. The assassin barely noticed, on his umpteenth cup of liquor, content and without a care in the world. Eve was right - there was not even a trace of the damage left on Jake, and aside from a few grimaces of pain, he was completely fine.

The fact that I was leaving this entire world behind did not phase me too much. With Larry and the worst of the gang gone, I had little purpose in this era anymore. But Jake…well, the fact that I was leaving him behind yet again made me feel a bit uncomfortable. As much as I wanted to get home, Jake was still my best friend. Loyal without question and to end, he protected even what was left of my family, in Eve. Perhaps that hesitation was the reason the Apple didn't allow us to return to the Renaissance quite yet.

Ezio caught my hands, pulling me forward and snapping me out of my thoughts. From surprise, I fell onto his shoulders, almost slamming my forehead into the back of his head.

"Sorry, Ezio, I couldn't resist," I grinned, sloppily kissing his ear. "You have such _pretty_hair!"

Everyone around the fire began to laugh, and Ezio quickly joined in, combing the braid out and quickly tying it back again. Then he suddenly leaped to his feet, stretching.

"I think it's time to go," he murmured, "After all, our work is never done, and I'd really rather not come back to a very unexpected situation in the past." He gave me two hands, and pulled me up as I took them.

"I'm not at all sad about it, either," I continued to smile. "Bring those Templars on, I will cut them up like cabbage!"

"You can't cut cabbage," he reminded me.

"Because I never tried!" I argued, "You won't let me near food!"

"And there's a reason for that." We began to walk away, really unsure of where we were going. I looked back to the fire and met eyes with Jake, who had already gotten to his feet and hurried after us. Without stopping, he threw an arm over my shoulders, grinning. Ezio shot him a sideways glance at the gesture, but didn't react, for which I was thankful. No need for petty fisticuffs to ruin our goodbyes.

"I guess this is it, right? You off to your fifteenth century?"

"Yep," I nodded, biting my lip slightly. "I sort of already made a life there, and I rather like it. Killing people with swords and daggers is easier than expecting a bullet in the back of the head at any moment."

"You learned sword-fighting?" he gleefully asked.

"Oh, yeah. At first from Ezio's uncle, and then here and there...by the way," I suddenly snorted, remembering something, "When I first met Mario, he introduced himself as 'It's a-me, Mario!'" Jake stared at me for a second in disbelief. "I'm serious," I added, still grinning. After a moment, he broke down into laughter, slapping his forehead with his hand.

"God must have a sense of humor!" he breathed out when he finally calmed down.

"That's what I thought. Though, a veteran assassin with a cool scar over his eye and sick skills with any type of weapon has hardly any similarities with a cartoon plumber...except for the fact that they're both Italian. " Ezio was listening with an incredulous expression, clearly confused. Jake, meanwhile, still choking on laughter, pulled me into a hug.

"I'll really miss you, kid," his voice suddenly dropped with genuine affection. He had never hugged me himself before, but now he was crushing my ribs with enthusiasm. It was very heart-warming, I decided, but I still needed oxygen.

"Jake, I love you too, but you're killing me," I gasped, and he laughed again, letting me go. "Don't worry, I'll make my mark on history, be sure of it," I said mysteriously, a sudden thought forming in my head. Before Jake could ask, however, I changed the subject. "Are you're actually going to join the assassins?"

"I'm getting tired of repeating this," he snorted with a wave of his hand, "Why the hell not? I think I can be useful. And I'll be on the lookout for you, too. Maybe I'll find some descendant of yours one day," he smirked, waggling his eyebrows. I actually blushed at that, shiftily glancing at Ezio, who was grinning.

"Jake, you know that's not likely to happen."

"Never say never, sister dearest." I looked around, only to smile as I saw Eve walking towards us. "You didn't think I'd let you leave without saying goodbye first, right?" she raised her eyebrows.

"Well, considering everything, I didn't count on it," I shook my head. She sighed.

"There's also something else," she breathed. "The Talisman is a huge help, but Diego agreed that it can still fall into the wrong hands. The recent incident is proof of that. So we've decided to send it on a time loop."

"And…what exactly are you going to do?"

"I'm giving it to you," she said, but didn't look all that eager to. "You won't be able to use it like I do, but I just want you to hide it somewhere safe. Or ideally, find a way to destroy it."

I thought for a moment. "I'm sure we can figure something out. But are you sure? I mean, it's like a part of you now."

"I'll live," she shrugged, though she looked nearly devastated. As the guys stepped away to give us some privacy, we remained silent for a bit. I had a feeling she was saying her own goodbye to the artifact….

Then I remembered something. "And what did you mean 'never say never?'"

"Huh? Oh, right." She realized what I meant, "If it's a problem with scarring and not a natural thing you were born with, I can…uh…heal it."

My heart jumped, and I suddenly felt light-headed, as though I'd forgotten how to breathe. "You mean," I found my hand falling to my stomach, "I'll…I'll be able to have…children?"

"Of course," she quietly said with a fleeting grin. "See, the Talisman reacts with the human body for some reason, forcing it to mend itself properly until its in the original state- what?" She realized that all of us present were watching her with shock. "Hey, I'm not completely heartless, whatever impression I give off."

"Oh, it's no problem. We're used to that already," Ezio glanced at me, and I snorted with laughter, remembering the impression I must have given off when we first met. "It's a family thing, I take it."

"I think this is the last thing you need from this time," she continued, coming closer. "Don't worry, this won't hurt nearly as much as healing open wounds."

It didn't hurt so much as burned. She simply pressed the Talisman to the old scar on my belly, and concentrated. At first, I didn't really feel anything, except for the fact that the Piece of Eden was almost unnaturally warm.

Then it was like a white-hot needle pierced through my stomach, shooting through me. It was almost eerily similar the original wound that'd left its mark, and I couldn't help a small gasp. But it was over before I could really quite register the pain, and Eve stepped away from me with a slight smile on her face. I gripped at my stomach, almost expecting to find a burn mark there. But I felt nothing but smooth skin.

"Are you alright?" Ezio whispered in my ear, and I lifted a finger to show I just needed a moment. Then I nodded; I didn't feel any different, but I was completely certain that it worked.

"I really have no idea how to thank you," I muttered to Eve. She just smiled, a _real _smile that I hadn't seen in years. My heart jumped at the sight, and I suddenly felt very much at peace.

However, holding out the Talisman towards me, she nearly ordered, "Just make sure you hide it properly."

"Don't worry, I'll hide it so well that only a great mind like our friend Leonardo would be able to figure it out," I nodded sadly, taking the Talisman into my hands.

I didn't want to say goodbye. Not to this time, but to my friend and the last family I had. But there was no way to bring them with us, I guessed. My case was one in a million, an accident of fate, perhaps, a mistake that whoever or whatever did it had no intention of repeating. But on the other hand, I had Ezio. I had Adel. I had Leonardo, and the entire Assassin order behind us.

I had the chance to have my very own children...

I don't know if Eve felt the same way about me, and I doubted it. After all, it was too long. Our relationship was cracked and broken, and I don't think it would ever be the same again. Considering the fact that we may very well have saved each other's lives and got past our pride, things were looking up, but they would never progress. I was simply content with the knowledge that Eve felt like my sister again, instead of just some woman from my past. It was sad that I wouldn't have a second chance to build our relationship. But just the fact that we left on good terms was enough.

Eve must have read my mind, and she stepped forward again, and hugged me. Awkwardly, as if she was not used to such human contact, but it was still welcome and genuine.

"You're the older sister, so you were always meant to do everything first," she chuckled in my ear, even as her voice hitched a bit, "You know, be the first to have a boyfriend, finish school, get married, have children..."

"Well, I'll be five centuries earlier than you, then," I joked in reply as I clutched her to me. She didn't protest.

"I just think it's only fair that you get the chance to do those things in the first place," she stepped away. "Sorry I won't be there to see it, though."

"Hey, you could name your firstborn after me!" Jake noted cheerfully, clapping me on the back.

"Jake-" I looked at his puppy eyes, and internally shuddered. Partially because his puppy eyes looked like the eyes of a hungry wolf. And partially because the name Jake in the Renaissance Italy seemed like the most ridiculous idea I have ever heard. "No. Just... no."

He sighed, not looking all that disappointed. "Oh, well, figures."

Jake suddenly did something else that I didn't expect (he was on a roll...). He marched up to Ezio, measured him with a glare, and gritted, "You better take care of her, or I'll figure out a way to kill you."

"Oh, I'm just shaking in my boots, _amico,_" he drawled, rolling his eyes.

Both of them immediately burst into laughter, and I exchanged sour glances with Eve. _Men_.

"So how exactly are we getting back?" I raised an eyebrow. Eve shrugged.

"You just say goodbye."

I frowned. "Maybe I should also click my heels three times and say, 'There's not place like home?'"

"You could try, but I doubt that will speed the process up," she replied seriously. "Well, it all depends on how Ezio asked the Apple for help. In your case, until you are completely over your past. So lets count... Larry is dead, Dad's hidden blade is on your arm, you know the entire truth about our parents...and I guess I count as well. What's there left to do? Friends? Maybe some sort of items you want with you?"

I thought about it, and shook my head. "I have nothing left here, no offense to either of you," I quickly added.

"Pfft, none taken," Jake rolled his eyes. Absently, I walked into Ezio's arms, and raised my eyes to his in a questioning look. He replied with a shrug, and an encouraging smile. Suddenly, I remembered.

"Damn! I know! Wait here for a moment!"

Leaving them all staring after me, I ran back to the fires. After about ten minutes, I came back-

"An apple?" Jake stared at me like I was insane. I shrugged, biting into it.

"What? I was hungry. I brought a sandwich, too, so I'm all set. Goodbye twenty first century!" I called out loudly, ignoring the strange looks that were seriously questioning my sanity.

"Holy mother of Jesus, it actually _worked..._"

* * *

Jake stared at the spot where Ezio and Eden used to be for a long time, and then sighed heavily. He was almost completely sober by now, and the bitterness of the situation only hit after they disappeared.

He glanced at Eve, who was looking rather lost, but confident. If it was because of the loss of artifact or the disappearance of her sister, Jake didn't know.

"She said she'll make a mark," he nodded, "And if Eden said she'll do something, we can start looking immediately."

"_We?_" she raised an eyebrow.

"Hey, I saved your life, woman," he reminded her with a smirk, and she sighed, bringing a hand to her face and shaking her head in disbelief, "Don't think I'll just let you go off by yourself and risk it again…"


	39. Chapter 38

**September 2012**

The sunlight spilled through the old curtains, reflecting off the computer screen. Jake glared at the window, and turned back to his laptop. He just needed a few more minutes and the job would be done. And hopefully, successful.

"And...you're golden. You have twenty minutes, so hurry up," Jake muttered into the headset as he finished the false commands with another stroke of the keyboard. "You'll have to lock up manually though since there're no controls here for that."

"Keep the alarm from going off," Lucy urgently whispered through the tiny piece hidden in her ear, beginning to move through the corridors.

"Good luck."

All the camera monitors had been looping old footage that showed nothing out of the ordinary. They had been that way for a while now, ever since Lucy managed to get into the control room. To everyone else, Desmond Miles apparently preferred lying restlessly on his bed, the room locked.

The direct cameras that only Jake had access to at the moment, however, showed the subject examining something on walls, wandering from room to room and disregarding the locks on the doors, sometimes sitting down and spending some amount of time staring at the floors. What he was examining so intently was a mystery. Perhaps he was going insane like the others, now seeing things where there was nothing in reality...

Jake could still remember the last subject. Frantically opening a vein and scribbling his crazed ramblings in his own blood along any free surface, he eventually bled out over all over those walls and floors. The gruesome scene was not something he wanted to see again, so he dearly hoped Lucy would get out the latest one out without incident.

Lucy was close. She knocked out a guard, whose broken nose sprayed her shirt with blood. Hiding him in a maintenance closet, she quickly hacked through the locks, continuing to the testing room.

Ten minutes.

It would be enough for her - she worked around the Animus with certain ease, and Desmond trusted her a huge deal more than Warren Vidic.

"How are things going?" a familiar voice broke through in his ear. It wasn't Lucy this time.

"Get ready for new arrivals," he smirked as he watched the pair maneuver through the maze of little chambers, an animus in nearly every single one of them. They were empty at this point, and it were still unclear as to what Abstergo needed all of them for. Perhaps just making escapes like these harder.

"Is anyone suspicious yet?"

"Two alerted guards and two knocked out. But I cut off their lines, so they have a few more minutes."

"Nice."

"You sound surprised," Jake grinned.

"Just get to the hideout," Rebecca laughed.

"Your wish is my command," he rolled his eyes. "I'm already packing up, they're out of the zone. I'll be there in a few hours."

He shut down his laptop and switched off the headset, getting up and stretching. He was currently in a small abandoned apartment building, which served as a nice safe house for Assassins who needed a place to rest or tend to injuries. The packing up didn't take long, and he was ready in just five minutes. Putting on his shades to at least partially hide the recognizable scars on his face, he threw the plain-looking bag over his shoulder, and headed downstairs.

Jake was quickly recognized as a skilled and rather talented man, especially when it came to computers. The Brotherhood allowed him to dive right into the action almost immediately. Trust was somehow never an issue, strangely enough, and he had the freedom to pursue his work in ways that he didn't even think possible. In just two years, he had been through at least half the world on various missions. He did almost exactly what he used to do in the gang - kill when asked, interrogate those who had something to hide, and occasionally steal. But he was doing it for the right reasons. And that in itself made it worth it. He had a rather good hand at hacking and gathering information as well, which made him almost invaluable in certain cases, such as these with Abstergo.

Not to mention, places like Italy were definitely loads better on the eyes than the slums of New York City.

Jake pulled out a cigarette and was going to light it, but then grimaced and put it back. Old habits die hard...

Despite the many efforts on Templars' behalf, through all those raids, killings and hunts, Jake had no doubts he was on the winning side. Assassins had not died out like Abstergo believed. They went underground. Or rather, deeper underground than most thought. While a lot of the communities were abandoned and scattered, they still remained strong, if out of sight. It was well suited for their work from the proverbial shadows.

If Templars managed one thing, Jake thought almost bitterly, it was stirring up a bit of panic, doubt and disorder. The Assassin Squads were killed daily. Most of them could not show their faces in public properly without being found and taken note of, and even worse, followed. Many things had happened in the last two years, and there was no light at the end of the tunnel.

Some were beginning to lose faith...

* * *

Most of the streets of Firenze were drenched with the noonday sun, the beautifully battered walls and fading facades having a cheerful atmosphere to them. The entire city seemed to be a study in contrasts. A mix of the old, Renaissance buildings that still dotted the skyline with their magnificence, and the new, sleek, steel and glass apartments and shops that signaled progress. Somehow, it rarely came off as bizarre or jarring.

No one noticed Jake as they moved around on their business, and he had no trouble blending with the crowds, moving towards the old warehouse that served as a hideout.

He always had a strange feeling when walking the streets of Florence. Like a ghost was walking beside him, laughing at his incapability to see it. A familiar laughter at that, Jake noted to himself with a slight smile.

Eden.

He threw his head back to look at the Santa Maria del Fiore as he walked past it. Knowing the kid's tendency to climb like a little monkey, he figured, not for the first time, that it was quite possible that she had climbed all the way to the peak of that cross. Especially if some genius made a bet to her...

_"Jake, I'm not suicidal."_

_"Yes, you are. Who was it that attempted to climb to the very top of Empire State Building and 'check out the view'?"_

_"__Hmph,__ it wasn't that tall, climbing from the top floor and all. And the view sucked. Clouds everywhere."_

He grinned to himself, likely scaring away the closest passersby.

He had yet to find a person like his adopted little sister, or even come across the original in history. In all of his research, there was not even a mention of her. She must have taken care in erasing evidence of herself. Just as there were no mentions of Ezio. Either he was not looking in the right spot, or they really hid themselves that well. He didn't even know if there was a surviving line from them.

It bothered him because in reality, Eden was dead for five hundred years and no memory of her remained.

It was a sad thought.

He didn't enter the main entrance of the seemingly abandoned warehouse, but through a narrow door in the back, locking it tightly behind him. He noticed the Abstergo car in the corner, and realized that he must have arrived after Lucy and Desmond. He shrugged to himself, and made his way up the catwalk.

"Hey everyone," he quietly announced himself, entering the room. All three of the aware people looked up at him with nods of greeting. Rebecca and Lucy smiled at him, while Shaun just went back to work. Desmond was unresponsive- he was lying in the Animus chair, completely out of it. "Looks like you've already started."

"Yep." Rebecca gestured him over, and he casually strolled deeper into the room. "You didn't miss much, though. Except for the revelation that Desmond had some pretty hot ancestors."

"_Seriously _Rebecca_?" _Shaun snarked over his shoulder from the corner of the room. "We're in the middle of a bloody war here, and you're adding long-dead people to your personal fantasy stash?"

"Hey, anything to lighten the mood," she shrugged with a smirk.

Rolling his eyes, Shaun snapped out something about "The infamously _lazy_ Subject 17," before going back to his research. If he wasn't so talented, Jake would've wrote him off long ago. Or possibly punched him in the face. Instead, he just grinned, thoroughly used to the Englishman's constantly derisive mutterings.

Otherwise, he was rather fond of the Rebecca, as she had an air of cheerful optimism around her that he immediately appreciated from the moment he met her. Actually, Jake held all women in the order in high respect, but was only friends with a handful. Up until now, he never got a chance to talk to Lucy herself, as she'd spent seven years all but trapped inside of the Abstergo facility with little chance of escaping without drawing attention. But still, he admired her acting skills and the amazing ability to infiltrate the company while making them think they were behind her employment. It was a work of genius, though those were not rare among Assassins.

He glanced at Desmond with a raised eyebrow, curious as to what all the trouble was for. Of course, Jake felt sorry for number 17. Spending an entire week with no contact, outside of two people, going into that machine every morning, only to settle in at night with only a book and hacking emails to pass the time – they were all extremely lucky that he hadn't lost his mind, like the previous one. Not to mention, he couldn't even shower or use the toilet without being watched and waking up to the good doctor standing over him like some creeper. Likely not the vacation many would go for willingly...

Jake's smile suddenly fell as he looked at the subject's face. Properly, for the first time.

Tanned skin, slightly exotic tilt of the eyes, dark hair and a scar running along the left corner of his lips. That added to the confident swagger in his step that he'd seen from the camera footage...all of it almost painfully familiar.

"Wait a minute, who's this ancestor?"

"Take a look," Rebecca waved him over to her work station, handing him a pair of headphones so he could listen in. He leaned over the screen where the story was being played out as 17 progressed, almost like a movie on the screen. A handsome man in an extremely old fashioned doublet, his shaggy, dark hair pulledback by a scarlet ribbon, was running over the rooftops, apparently escaping from guards. His shouting punctuated with Italian (as thankfully, this version of the Animus had subtitles), he insisted that he was only helping someone out with some things, and he was mostly innocent.

Jake absently thought that he really didn't want to know the reasons behind his excuses...

Suddenly his eyes went wide and he quickly pulled up a chair next to Rebecca, snapping on the headphones. The young man's amused, smug drawl and constant smirk was unmistakable.

_Son of a bitch…_

Pointing at the screen, he caught her questioning gaze. "Wait, that can't be-"

"His name is Ezio Auditore. He lived in Italy in the fifteenth century," she waved at the computer.

Jake all but fell to the floor, looking around at Desmond with shock.

Ezio...the cocky, arrogant, talented and deadly assassin from two years ago. Of course, on the screen he did not look at all lethal, his face still young unmarred with the constant expression of caution his profession lent him. And his voice was nowhere as mature and smooth as it was when they'd spoken. But still-

"Hey, Jake, you alright? You're white as snow."

"I know…I knew him," he nearly stammered.

"Desmond?" Lucy raised an eyebrow. "I wouldn't be surprised, he said he was a bartender in various places throughout the States-"

Jake cut her off, vehemently shaking his head in disagreement, "No, no! I meant…Ezio."

"I think you've been hitting those bars a bit too hard, mate," a gritted, accented voice sounded from Shaun. "What's next? Little green goblins that say they'll fulfill any wish?" he waved his fingers about before pushing up his glasses along his nose.

"Like hell," Jake growled, seriously offended by the statement. He had some serious help and managed to stop his alcoholic habits almost a year ago. "Christ," he swore, "Never mind."

He knew quite a bit about the Animus. In truth, he helped Rebecca build it, speeding up the process by a few days. However, he didn't know many of the theories behind it, aside from the fact that it decoded genetic information on the fly, creating a simulation that worked very similar to a game. He even allowed it to be tested on him, though there wasn't much interesting in his bloodline, unlike within Desmond's, apparently.

Actually, anyone who had such characters like Eden and Ezio in their linage was automatically considered interesting.

Eden appeared onscreen, and Jake's heart leaped in recognition. The very first image of her was in the corner of Ezio's field of vision, standing on a rooftop during nighttime, looking thoughtfully confused. They must not have noticed each other yet at that point...

Next she appeared in the brothel that Ezio's family took refuge in after their betrayal. She was...her. Short, choppy hair, leather jacket, a slightly bitter, yet cheerful smile on her lips. The usual sharp, mocking remarks that sounded rude to those that didn't know she was only trying to help in that way hers. She called it "Redirection of Anger," Jake remembered with a smile when he once asked about it. Strange, but rather effective.

"Who is that woman? She is dressed as if she's from the modern times," Rebecca questioned out loud, voice rising with disbelief. "Shaun, see if you can find anything on her."

"He won't," Jake shook his head, smiling ruefully, "God knows I've tried for two years now."

"You know her?" Shaun genuinely asked, his voice for once devoid of all sarcasm.

The situation was becoming almost comical to Jake. He chuckled, nodding, "I taught her. Her name is Eden Cleare. And last I saw her, she was engaged to Ezio."

There were a few minutes of silence, all three turning to look at him with utmost confusion, shock, and disbelief.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Shaun was the first to come to. Jake leaned back in his chair, throwing his feet up onto Rebecca's desk and crossing them at the ankle. She didn't mind, knowing how careful he was around her beloved computers.

"I don't know how it happened," he took a deep breath, closing his dark eyes for a moment, "But somehow, she time traveled into Ezio's time from ours, about two years ago. Appeared back in New York with Ezio three weeks later…though for both of them, they'd spent three years together in his own time. Anyway, in our time, she made a ruckus, and left again."

"Two years ago? But," Lucy was mouthing something to herself, "That was the time Abstergo discovered one of the Pieces of Eden. The one that could alter time. I don't know if they tested it out, but soon an order was put into power that any artifacts that could damage the space-time continuum had to be locked away, no questions."

"Engaged?" Rebecca noticed a different part of his story. "They seem to hate each other!" she nodded at the screen. Now, Eden was berating the young Florentine for his lack of social stealth and rolling her eyes. Ezio snapped at her in return, throwing up his hands in irritation and gritting his teeth before muttering a string of curses. Of course, the translation software had trouble handling that. Jake couldn't hold back a fleeting grin at the scene.

"I have no idea what happened there," he shrugged, expression sliding to mild bewilderment.

"Cleare, you say? I've heard that name somewhere before..." Rebecca thoughtfully leaned on her hand.

"And I can even tell you where," Shaun smugly remarked, "It was all over the reports we used as reference to integrate Lucy into Abstergo. Maxim Cleare died while gathering information on the company, but it's thanks to him that we found a weak spot."

"So what, that's…his daughter?"

"One of the two," Jake rolled his eyes. "Do you remember Eve by any chance?"

"She has been successfully fooling the search party sent to Masyaf by Abstergo for the last two months," Shaun called over his shoulder, "A rather dangerous position. Unlike yours."

Jake ignored the attack, shifting his eyes back to the screen of Rebecca's computer. And instantly, he jumped to his feet.

"Wait, is that Leonardo da'Vinci?" His memory was screaming at him like mad, trying to force him to recall something...

"So it is." Shaun typed a few commands into his computer, likely filling up the database with Eden's and Leonardo's entries.

"They did say they were friends...wait…." Jake got up, and walked over to Shaun's desk. "Do you have access to da'Vinci codices?"

"Yes..."

"Can you email them to me?"

"What are you onto?" Rebecca wondered, raising her eyebrows.

"Just a hunch. Eden told me she'd make some sort of mark for me to find, and so far I think I was just looking in the wrong places."

* * *

It was late at night, and Jake had not moved from his computer screen. In his hand was a bottle of tomato juice that he used as a substitute for alcohol for two years now, all the lights in the hotel room shut off, except for the screen.

The digital copies of the codices were apparently found in the databases of the museums that held the real thing, but they were good enough for examinations. Jake scanned through the writing, the translations written out beside the pages, where even the tiniest of the footnotes was explained. He barely even knew what he was looking for. But he had a strange certainty that if Eden has left any sort of mark, it would be here.

_"I'll hide it so well that only a great mind like Leonardo would be able to figure it out."_

The first note was on a sketch of a slightly older woman, her smile soft and serene. He recognized Eden's handwriting in the Italian letters along the bottom margin, rounded and neat. _It reminded me of someone I used to know, _it read_, But I feel like I no longer need it, and I think returning it to you is the proper thing to do. Sorry I took it._

The next sign of her took up an entire page, at the very end of the Codex Atlanticus. It was a sketch of a woman with long, dark, braided hair and wearing a simple tunic, commonly worn by men of the time. Bent over the table, she was seemingly working on a complicated construction. Yet she was looking up at the artist with some reproach, as if telling him off for catching her on paper while her attention was taken elsewhere, but at the same time smiling in a friendly, affectionate way.

Jake could have recognized those sharp eyes, the criss-crossing scars along her jawline, and the ironically raised eyebrow anywhere, even after many lifetimes.

Around the sketch were little notes in Italian that likely for centuries, stumped scholars as to what purpose they served.

_Jakey, I'm glad you finally figured it out. Hope everything is going well for you._

_And stop laughing at me, I'm basically speaking from beyond the grave here!_

_Florence is a beautiful city, don't you find? Do take care of his family palazzo, __as it'd be a shame to let it go to waste._

_PS: I told you I'd leave a mark! :D_

After a few moments, Jake began to laugh quietly, thumping his head into his desk, his shoulders continuing to shake for a long time.

Only Eden would think to put something like this in an official codex of a genius inventor. And only Eden would put a smiley face at the end of a note. _Emoticons in the Renaissance? Only you, Eden, only you!_

He could just imagine how much she was laughing as she wrote it in, knowing the confusion it would wreck on people the message wasn't meant for. He could have sworn that he heard her laughter again in the rustle of the curtains and the trees outside. And he definitely imagined her strangely gentle hand playfully ruffling his hair.

She was no ghost.

She was the same annoying little brat that he loved like a sister.

And speaking of sisters...

"Hello?" the voice answered at the first ring, despite the late hour.

"You are never going to believe this," he grinned.

"I'm good, thanks for asking... and there's quite a bit I can believe, Jake, considering…well, everything. What's up?"

"I think I found your distant nephew."

"But I- what?" She sounded as if she jumped, her voice suddenly getting louder. "Eden?"

"I think so. It's not for sure just yet, but the guy that Lucy pulled out of Abstergo-"

"The latest Animus subject?"

"The same. Anyway, his ancestor is Ezio Auditore."

There was a long pause. "Do you have the sessions recorded?" she quietly asked. To anyone else, it sounded mildly bored. But after all this time, he knew why she was asking.

After Eden's disappearance, she too felt the need to find mentions of her sister in history, just as he did. Yet they were unsuccessful. "I can ask Rebecca to email them to me as he goes through them. It seems that if she's indeed Desmond's ancestor, they are going to use her memories as well to teach him how to use guns and targeting, along with the more modern skills that he might require."

"That's a good idea."

"Yes. So I suppose he will become like the continuation of those two..."

"You still miss her," Eve noted through the phone almost gently. Jake chuckled bitterly.

"I think it's impossible not to miss someone like her. You would too if you spent those years with her."

"At least we had a chance to say proper goodbyes."

This was not the first time they had this conversation.

"And we have your distant relative to take care of."

"Does he look like her?" The question sounded almost comical, somehow. But then again, the man still bore uncanny resemblance to Ezio and Altair...

Jake leaned back in his chair, throwing his legs up onto the table beside his computer. "Would you laugh if I said he has her eyes?"

"Yes," she answered honestly, and the laugh followed immediately. After a moment, she sighed. "Is there any mention of the artifact, at least?"

"Not yet. I hacked into the Abstergo database, even. They had a huge list of the Pieces of Eden and their locations, but yours was claimed to be destroyed two years ago, and there hasn't been a hint of it since."

"So it looks like the time loop worked. Well, Eden was always good at hiding things - I remember one time she hid mom's present so well that she could barely find it herself..."

Jake chuckled. "So, dinner?"

"You're buying."

"Obviously."

"You realize that because of you I have hardly ever paid for my food?" she sounded almost reproachful.

"Yes, and yet when have you ever said no to a free meal?"

"Um, to every other guy that asks me out?"

"And that's why you don't have a boyfriend."

"No, I don't have a boyfriend because _someone_ I know chases them off with a pitchfork."

"What can I say?" he closed his eyes, smiling contentedly, "I'm a jealous man."

There was a short pause.

"Where are you, anyway?"

"Florence."

"Oh, nice. I'm in Syria right now, but I can't say I like it very much. I held them off for as long as possible, but there's nothing to find there anymore, so...I guess I'll meet you tomorrow?"

He smirked. "Sure thing. Same time?"

"As always."

As he put down the phone, he stretched, glanced at the computer screen and got up. Because of Eden, his life not only changed, but changed for the better, something that he could not have imagined ever happening just two years earlier.

He just wished she was around to see how it all come together...

* * *

"Family palazzo?" Eve raised an eyebrow, twirling her spoon in the coffee cup absently. "I wonder what she meant?"

The years had changed her, now that she didn't have the Piece of Eden to keep her healthy. Her skin was now colored and slashed with scars that no longer disappeared, and her eyes still looked slightly lost, as if she was constantly missing something. It was a major change in her, somehow, but Jake liked it. It made her seem less perfect and more human. She was still as charmingly beautiful as before, though, and it was not the first nor the last time Jake noticed it...

"Well, by 'him' I assume she means Ezio, and his family's palace. I even found the place." Jake put his cup down, and smiled at the pretty waitress from across the room. She looked a little scared of him, but nonetheless approached and refilled his coffee, hurrying away quickly. He sighed inwardly - it was painfully obvious that he would never be a young, handsome man ever again. Not that he was all too sad about it in the long run.

"You did?" she suddenly leaned forward with interest.

"Yep. It's almost dead in the center of the city," he shrugged. "Actually, just down the street from here. Apparently it was given to the Auditore family by the Medici family. But that's about the only mention of them in history. Since then, it's been under the protection of various persons, preventing it from being pillaged or even restored."

"Why would she tell us about it?"

"I have no idea. The place is off limits to public, though. Likely with imaginary construction work and everything," he snorted.

"Could she have hidden something there?"

"That's why we're here, actually," he smiled as charmingly as he could, but the only thing he managed was to bare his teeth in a wolfish grin. He had already figured out why that place was more likely than the villa in Monteriggioni (he found out about it from Rebecca only a few hours after the phone conversation with Eve). It was too obvious, as it seemed that it was a sort of base for Assassins in their time, which would draw Templars to it like moths to a flame. But the palazzo was less likely to be a hiding spot, considering the unpleasant ties Ezio had to the place.

The Palazzo Auditore, which had been renamed many times over the last half-century, stood proudly towering over the street. It was in surprisingly decent shape on the outside, at least, no worse than the rest of the city. A warning sign was posted on the front gate, but no one seemed to be inside. It was no problem for the two of them, of course. They simply went around to the back door and picked the lock.

The servants' entrance led into a large kitchen, which looked like it was preserved from the past almost completely. There was a large fireplace that took up most of the space, a few forgotten tables and cabinets, a rusty knife lying in the corner, some blood from meat splattered on one part of the wall.

Eve's breath seemed to catch as they went further inside, the ancient dust cushioning their footsteps. "It must have been lovely five centuries ago."

Jake couldn't help but agree. The rooms were huge, with many windows that were shut, but potentially could let in a lot of sunlight into the house. He could easily imagine that the old, rotting furniture once decorated a beautiful living space.

"Hm...feathers," he noted with some surprise as he saw the large gray feathers mingling with the dust along the floor.

"Eagle ones," Eve nodded with a smile. "Well, if you were Ezio and wanted to have a secret room, where would you put it?"

"In the office." He didn't even hesitate in the answer. He had learned that from Rebecca as well. "Maybe they just expanded his father's, actually."

The study was a fairly large room which was in the same state as the rest of the house- old and dusty. He proceeded to hit all the bricks in the mantelpiece above the hearth that had not seen fire for centuries. Eve coughed from the dust that he stirred, covering her mouth with her sleeve.

"Be care-" she didn't finish the sentence, however, for Jake hit the fourth stone from his left, and then stayed his hand there, pushing harder. After a moment, it groaned, shuttered, and retracted into the wall. At the same time, the inside wall of the fireplace slid upwards, despite creaking with protest. "It's still working... amazing."

"Ladies first," he invited her inside, and she rolled her eyes, but stepped into the dark hole.

And immediately tripped.

"Okay, ew. There's dust everywhere, and I can't see anything!"

"Oh, right, I forgot to give you the flashlight, didn't I?" he muttered innocently, producing the said instrument from his messenger bag. Her hand appeared from the darkness, and snatched it out of his hand.

"You asshole," Eve breathed, flickering it on. "Come on, there's nothing here yet."

He ducked inside after her. The secret room was even colder than the rest of the house, and except for the flashlight, there was absolutely no other light source. Jae wrinkled his nose, and took out his lighter, approaching the long candle sticks that lined the walls.

"This must be the first room," Eve whispered as she looked around. There was a desk and a chest, but upon closer examination, they turned out to be almost completely empty except for fragile papers that looked as though they would crumble at the lightest touch.

"There must be something further."

"Be careful, though," she reminded him, "If this is actually an Assassin tomb built by Ezio and Eden-"

"We can expect flamethrowers," Jake nodded, staring into the walls, ceiling and floors for any hint of cracks through which traps could spring on them. "How the hell are we going to find any…" the words died in his throat as he looked at Eve.

"Its that wall over there," she muttered, blinking, and the her eyes stopped glowing. She came to stand by the wall opposite of the way they came through, and felt around, putting her hands on two different bricks and pushing them at the same time. The wall, much like the fireplace, gave an ear-splitting screech, and slid downwards, disappearing into a crevice in the floor. "I think they made this so that only those with Eagle Vision would be able to find it."

"You have it?"

"Well, yeah. I _am_ related to assassins, Jake." She reminded him. "Diego taught me to pull it out a long time ago, though I can only use it for a few moments about once a day. Eden was the one that got all the killer talents. You know, weapons, aim, strategy, acrobatics..."

"And you?"

"I got the rest," she smiled. She was right, however; she was a talented in different areas, like music and arts, not to mention, she was a great informer and doctor. "Now, shall we?"

Jake went in first this time, taking the flash light out of Eve's hands, and stepping inside. It was much lighter here, however. The sunlight was streaming through strategic cracks in the walls and ceiling, shining upon them...

_"Down!"_Eve suddenly screamed, yanking him forward so hard that he stumbled a few steps and then instinctually followed her order, flinging himself to the ground. He could hear short thunks and the deadly hiss of whistles above him. He only dared to look up when they stopped.

"If Eden was around, I'd fucking kill her," he grit out, crawling through the dust and out of the danger zone. "Booby trapped crossbows? Impressive. Guess they didn't have flamethrowers back then."

"Thank God," Eve retorted, though he swore he could hear the laughter bubbling beneath her reply. Apparently, the Cleare sisters took their security seriously.

He stood up again, the two marble statues in front of him glittering in the stark glow of his flashlight. Feeling along the rounded wall, he came to the tell-tale metal sconces embedded within it. As he lit the torches in them with his lighter, the room seemed to flicker to life. The warm orange glow of the flame cleverly reflected along the pale, nearly white stone of the round atrium above them. Casting them in brightness similar to dim sunlight, they had nearly all the light necessary to see.

"This is-?" Eve swallowed hard.

"It's not their tomb," Jake shook his head. "I don't think their bodies are here. It's more of a…" he took in their surroundings, mouth hanging open with surprise as his gaze landed on the sight in front of him, "…memorial?" he finished with uncertainty. Stooping down to examine the bases of the statues, he quickly recognized the stylized "L" that was carved on the left side of them. "It looks like Leonardo helped build it."

The statues were of a man and a woman, with their beaked hood low over their faces, the Assassin symbols on their belts. Their robes were almost similar, except the woman wore little of the period's metal armor, and her long, symmetrical cloak was draped boldly around her shoulders. Her doublet and trousers also contained many more pockets and pouches than her partner. They both stood with one foot forward and one hand held out, as though in welcome. Their opposite hands were down at their sides, though. The man's bracer on his left wrist, the woman's on her right, their corresponding hidden blades were snapped out in warning.

"She has two hidden blades," Eve noted, appearing beside him, and examining the statues more closely, "They both do, in fact." Reaching out to touch the uncannily lifelike image of her sister, she stopped just short of contact, drawing away.

"I noticed. I thought she only received one?"

"She must have gotten another some time later. After all, the hidden blades are like a show of rank."

"So they both became Master Assassins, then." Eve showed no emotion, but her lips were twitching slightly. Jake himself felt unnerved as well.

"Look at all of this," he decided to draw their attention away from the statues, and to the treasures around them. "They were filthy rich, it seems!"

"Most assassins are," Eden nodded. "Let's look around, though we shouldn't take anything of value. Still, maybe they left something more for us to find?"

He nodded in agreement, and helped her in the search, eagerness filling him as they moved through the room.

There was a large chest right behind the statues, made out of some sort of dark, polished stone. There was no lock, but the lid was so heavy that it took their combined efforts to move it away and onto the floor. It did not even crack as it hit the dusty surface, only letting out an echoing thud.

"Would you look at that!" Eve mumbled with fascination.

Inside of the deep chest there were various items, amongst which were paintings that miraculously managed to survive this long. Jake was sure Leonardo had a hand in preserving them. Lying next to them was a hidden blade that could have been Ezio's, though it was different from the statue. Next to that was a long dagger that Jake swore he had seen on Eden the last time she was around. And underneath them, many yellow parchment papers within a leather binding.

"Is that, uh, Ezio's?"

"I think so," Jake evenly replied.

After a moment, Eve suddenly suggested, "We should take it with us. Give it to Desmond. It's technically his heirloom, after all."

"Is it even going to work properly? That this must be ancient," Jake brought up a reasonable thought.

"Oh, don't worry. It's a special type of metal that doesn't even seem to rust or weaken with age," Eve shook her head, carefully picking up the bracer and blowing the dust off of it. "See? It's in nearly flawless condition. Maybe just renew the leather, and it's good."

"Those paintings...they're all of them," Jake noted, leaning over and peering and into the chest. He reached down to examine them, but Eve slapped his hand away.

"Let's not touch them. I'm afraid those will fall apart if we try, but that book," she pointed to a thick, red, leather-bound book that rested next to the paintings, "Seems interesting."

A half an hour later, they came back into the main house, quickly wiped off the chairs and table in the parlor beyond the kitchen, and laid the book on it gently. Both stared at it for a long time, unmoving, until Eve finally sighed, and touched the pages. And immediately slumped in disappointment.

"They're written in code."

"So what's the problem?" Jake raised an eyebrow. Both of them were good with codes, and he didn't see why it posed such an obstacle.

"This is totally gibberish-"

"And you're surprised by that?" he snorted, biting back his laughter. Of course, she wouldn't make it easy for them.

"I don't recognize even one word in the entire thing to use as a key." She scanned the pages carefully, but no light dawned on her face. He moved to hover over her shoulder, looking into the text as well. The writing did not cover every page, at least. There were many sketches that could be recognized as da'Vinci's work, including some simple doodles of Ezio and Eden. And then there were more that included other people in it, ones that they didn't recognize.

A curly-haired girl of about ten, followed by another sketch of the same girl, but much obviously attractive woman dressed in nun's clothes, though the bodice was almost scandalously low-cut. Behind that was a sketch of a slightly older woman, richly dressed and her hair carefully braided back beneath a cowl of some sort. A thin, wiry-looking man with longish, dark hair and a moustache, his cloak thrown over his shoulder with a flourish (Jake fliched at the uncanny resemblance this man had to Larry). An old, grizzled-looking man with a menacing scar over his left eye, but with a friendly smile. Upon his shoulder was small coat of arms that matched the Auditore sigil. It was also easy to see the resemblance between him and Ezio.

The portraits of other men and women continued in such a fashion, bound together with diagrams for the hidden blades, guns and poisons, amongst other, likely useful things.

"It's their own codex," Jake reverently said, "And it seems like it was written and illustrated by Leonardo himself, too." He thought for a long moment, and then nodded. "I think Shaun would be able to decipher it. He's an asshole, but he's near genius when it comes to codes."

"Alright. We'll take this to him, though as soon as they are done with Desmond, of course," Eve nodded. "And the hidden blade, too-"

"What is that?" he pointed at the small jewelry box in her hands that she must have taken out of there as well. She blinked, and looked down, as if only just realizing that she even had it. She furrowed her eyebrows and clicked it open.

She let out a slightly strangled gasp, and slammed the lid shut.

"This stays inside. Not to ever be opened again," she gritted out. "Well, at least they managed to hide it well enough."

"If you say so." Jake, not totally understanding what she meant, simply shrugged, holding his hands out for it so that he could take the box back. He had suspicions that it was the Piece of Eden inside that box, but he was not at all curious to see it. So he simply laid in back into the chest behind the two statues.

He paused before leaving once again, for good, turning around and looking back to the statues. Then he smiled and raised his hand on impulse, saluting them.

"Safety and peace, my friends."

They quietly stared after him as he reset the trap and sealed the door, and Jake once again imagined the familiar laughter in the echoing of the dungeon...

* * *

**A/N- **People! Do not panic! This is hardly the end- I simply wanted to write a closing chapter on Eve and Jake, that is all. I'm going to continue writing about Eden and Ezio, as there is still plenty more to write about. Not to mention I love them to death, and I can't simply stop their story right now. As I mentioned a few times when I replied to reviews, I am planning to stretch the story up to the end of AC2, and even include Brotherhood (when it comes out, obviously). So to you faithful readers, this story is definitely not ending any time soon. Hell, if it did, I would get bored very quickly and write a sequel anyway, considering I'm transferring to homeschooling from now on and will spend even more time with my thoughts.

The reasons for the whole school transfer, to those who care, is because I simply had enough of the people I'm forced to attend school with. I tend to learn better by myself, and I definitely do not need teachers pushing me constantly and treating me like a little child that needs to do incredibly pointless (in my opinion) projects, presentations and labs. I was raised by different standard on the other side of the world, and honestly, the education in Canada just doesn't do it for me. I'm sorry for the rather long explanation- but many people seriously think I'm off my horse if I want to study independently, and assume I haven't thought it through.

I'm not anti-social or anything, again, to those who care, I simply don't like people of my age group. They tend to be spoiled brats that do nothing but create drama and fail classes. I'm not generalizing, I'm sure that there are sixteen-year-old's out there that would not summon an urge to go on a killing spree from me, but so far, I was not fortunate in meeting many of those people in my school.


	40. Chapter 39

"And they finally appear!"

If Adel ever became a full assassin, or at least an adult, she would be quite terrifying with her stance. "Angry-Mother-run-lecture-is-coming," her fists were planted firmly on her waist, her legs a shoulder-width apart. Combined with a stern glare that would scare the living daylights out of the most rebellious troublemakers, she was ready to deliver a sound tongue lashing. Unfortunately, it did not have the desired effect on either Ezio or me. We were simply too exhausted to care.

Behind her, Antonio stood with crossed arms, barely hiding a smirk at the scene. I nearly choked on my apple at the sight of him, a bizarre thought of, _"I thought I killed you!"_ running through my head. However, I quickly calmed down, breathing properly again and reminding myself of reality. It was a real shame that his future genetic pool would swing to the psychotic side; for unlike his apparent his progeny in Larry, Antonio was a true Assassin. How else could I explain the uncanny resemblance between the two?

Momentarily frowning, I forced a smile to my face, though it quickly became genuine at the sight of Adel. "Adelaide, nice to see you too. Don't I at least qualify for a welcome back hug?" I raised my eyebrows as I caught a yawn into my hand. It was around midday, judging by the bright rays of the sun spilling through the stain glass windows of Antonio's study on the lower floor of the Seta.

Strange, at first I thought that a year here was about a week in the twenty first century. But considering that we were there for a few days, which should've equaled about a half-year here, there didn't appear to be any major changes in the time shift. Adel was still dressed for traveling, with her golden hair tied back into a tight braid. So I guessed it was the still the same day as when the Apple decided to once again have some fun with the space-time continuum. Which was just as well - I really didn't want to come back months later than intended. The results of that would be rather unpredictable, likely in a negative way. Not to mention, it would be easier to not be forced to lie about our disappearance.

"Where were you?" she snapped her fingers in irritation. "We were supposed to leave five hours ago, and neither of you was anywhere to be found!" she demanded angrily, "The boat already left!"

I exchanged looks with Ezio, who shrugged as if time travel was the most mundane thing in the world. "It's a rather long story, _piccola_" he replied, flashing her a warm grin. But she wasn't having any of his usual charm, narrowing her eyes at him and gritting her teeth as she crossed her arms.

"That's all you have to say for yourselves?" she snorted. "Of all the sorry excuses-"

"I'm sure we're all eager to hear it," Antonio cut in gently. "Along with the part as to why you are all dressed in such a manner," his eyes widened, sweeping over us with curiosity. "And also as to why Franco claims that you, uh, appeared out of thin air."

I almost forgot the fact that both of us were still dressed in modern jeans, shirts and jackets. Poor Franco, one of the younger thieves' apprentices, was likely still making wild crosses in the air somewhere upstairs. Especially after we gave him the scare of a lifetime when we popped back into one of the hallways. Something told me he would not be talking to us again...at least, not without trembling like a leaf and praying for the demons to spare his soul. Poor chap.

"We will answer all questions," Ezio promised wearily, though I don't think he really meant that, "But later. First-"

"Sleep," I muttered, already beginning to climb the stairs.

Adel could only continue her façade of pouting until her curiosity got the better of her, even as we completely ignored her questions for the moment. Antonio just shook his head, muttering how he really didn't want to know before walking away to his office, only stopping to call over his shoulder to make sure the Apple was safe.

As for us...well, we sort of just crashed down onto our bed as soon as we got to it. Neither of us awoke until the sky began to lighten early the next morning...

* * *

"So, to sum up," I mused, wrapping the towel tightly around my chest before I began to dry my hair with a second one, "Before the Apple sent us to the future..."

"We took the said Apple from Rodrigo Borgia, so now we need to protect it from him," Ezio finished my train of thought as he pulled on his pants and his usual double layer of tunics. I was beginning to regret not taking a picture earlier, as Ezio in modern jeans and an untucked button-up shirt with an open collar was quite a sight to behold. Modern clothes that used to belong to Alex really suited him, somehow. Hell, in my time-period, he could've found easy work as some model on the runway…and I would've probably found myself laughing at his ridiculous Blue Steel expression in the pages of a glassy fashion magazine. "Antonio said there was been an attack on one of his thieves by men with the Borgia coat of arms just a few hours ago," he continued, snapping me out of my thoughts.

"Did he get away?" I raised an eyebrow, putting on my own clothes with some pleasure. Who would have thought I'd miss the silk tunic and slightly scratchy cotton of my robes?

"Fortunately, yes. But that shows that Rodrigo has recovered and is already trying to get the Apple back."

"But that also means he doesn't know we're moving to Forli just yet."

"_Si_, but he might know that Caterina is our ally." He frowned for a moment before muttering, "Then again, even _I_ didn't know she was...did you?"

"No, she never came up in my discussions with the other assassins before you were initiated into the order," I shook my head. "Don't worry, though."

"I'm not worried," he smirked, strapping on his sash before buckling his swordbelt over it. Hands instinctually wandering down to the sheathes for his throwing knives, he nodded with satisfaction to find he was no need of resupply. "Niccolo is right," he declared, "Forli is a fortress. It was obvious the last time we passed through, on the way to Venice. Those towers were pretty heavily fortified, and the city is surrounded by a rather deep and wide moat."

I braided my hair tightly, tying it off with a ribbon as I thought. "Sad that most of it is sunken, but you're right. Though it won't stop them from trying. If only because Borgia seems desperate enough. But we've smothered him all over the wall once, and we can do it again."

"What about the Talisman, then?"

I touched the Piece of Eden that now hung around my neck. It did not react to me in any way, aside from almost live warmth radiating from it. Thankfully, there was none of the voices my sister described. She was likely right in the end; without having proper knowledge as to how it worked, I wouldn't be able to use it. Nor did I particularly want to, keeping in mind how the artifacts and I did not mix well together.

"I'll keep it on me until we figure out where to store it."

"That's not a good idea," he quickly shook his head in disagreement. "Perhaps I should hold onto it, seeing how you react to the artifacts?" Ezio suggested quite reasonably, which made me, of course, want to rebel.

I snorted. "The Apple charmed me because I wanted to figure things out at home. Now that everything there is all sorted out, I have no unfinished business, and it has nothing on me. Considering Eve, I think I might even have the ability to control the artifacts like you."

"Really now?" he slowly said. Even as I bristled and furrowed my eyebrows, my hand flying to the Piece around my neck, I could tell he wasn't attempting to pick a fight… though that conclusion took a few moments for my mind to accept. "What do you think it is in us that allows that?" he quickly changed the subject, gaze raking over me in distant observation. It paused at my neck before he met my eyes again. "I don't think anyone else would have the same level of control without being used by the artifact…." Ezio picked up the velvet pouch that carried Apple, pinning it to his belt. "Could it be something in our blood? Perhaps even the same thing that gives us Eagle Vision?"

"If that's true, then another mystery solved," I stated. "If it's something to do with blood, mine is likely a lot more diluted than yours, considering the time difference. Which may be why I have a harder time controlling it?" I moved my lips for a bit, thinking about it. It was a good theory to settle on, for the time being. But on the other hand, we didn't know any of it for sure, like where the hell this "thing" in our blood came from.

"It could have something to do with eye color, too," I breathed. He stared at me incredulously for a moment. I shrugged, and explained, "Eve has Dad's eyes. I have Mom's. Dad was the hereditary assassin, and Eve is the one that could control the artifact."

"Yes, that explains oh so much!" he explained with sarcastic enthusiasm, "It's all in the eye color! Genius!"

"Hey, I'm nowhere near Leonardo's level," I laughed, "But I'm just saying!"

He became serious once again. "Let's just leave the theory him and _zio_ Mario. Our job is to protect it."

"And protect the Vault," I reminded him of the goal that we often overlooked.

"We don't know where this vault is. It could be anywhere in the world..."

"Oh, right, and to add to our already long list of things to protect, you are on mine," I tilted my chin up. He glanced at me skeptically.

"Do you really think I need protecting?"

"No. Yet so far I have met a man that correctly predicted that you are the Prophet, that I have to die for you if need be, and to keep you alive, no matter the cost." I chewed on my lip. "But _do_ try not to get me killed, okay? It would put a damper on both of our moods."

He just shook his head, sighing.

"Besides," I chewed on my lip as I walked over to the window. Without warning, excitement took over me when I once again saw the familiar rooftops and towers of Venice, and greeted the towering Palazzo Ducale and L'Arsenale. It was such a pleasure to see again after New York that my breath caught for a moment, as if fully catching up to the reality of the situation. We were back where we belonged... "You are one of the only people I have to protect now."

"We're Assassins," he reminded me softly. Silently stepping behind me, he slid his arms around my waist, holding me tightly to him. His stubble grazed my ear as he bent down to it, affectionately nuzzling my hair. "We have the entire world to protect. Don't worry, even without your sister and Jake, you still have plenty of things to care about. Like Templars taking over the world with artifacts wrought from apparent witchcraft to destroy all the weak minds of humanity..."

I let out a quiet chuckle, shaking my head in agreement. "But you know, no pressure."

We spent the rest of day following up on any leads to Borgia's plans. Nothing much popped up, but it was always good to be especially cautious. I didn't like it however- if he has recovered this fast and made one attempt, it was surprising that he did not make more. Perhaps he was distracted by something else, or maybe he wasn't even around, but simply gave out the orders and left immediately back to Roma. In light of the recent events, I could tell things were getting more serious somehow. As if the war moved to an even larger scale than before, or at least the fog lifted, allowing me to see the rest of the battlefield.

I caught myself thinking once- would this become an actual war? Not one from the shadows, but a straightforward gathering of forces to throw at each other? There was no mention of such things in history, of that I was sure as I actually payed attention to that part of history class. But what if...? I chased the though away quickly, however- it was not the Assassin style to come into direct conflicts. We were not soldiers. Our specialties are stealth, whether it was crawling through shadows or manipulating...

Night descended and the sky blackened completely, showing off the bright stars and the grin of the moon. We decided to board of one of the Doge's galleys to Forli, just to be safe, considering the latest developments. It was perfectly within Borgia's power and character to bribe a pirate ship or two to intersect us if we attempted to leave Venice by normal passenger ship. However, not many people were suicidal enough to go up against Venetian navy ships. I vaguely remembered from high school history that it was right around this period that they were the most feared in the Mediterranean. Even the more powerful kingdoms on the continent mostly refused to tangle with them. Funny thing how the territoriesall of them were like their own nations despite being part of Italia and they treated each other just the same way as the countries of Europe do.

I really thought that such precautions were unnecessary. Then again, after all that'd happened to us, I felt like I could take on all the Templars of the world on at once and walk away in good health, though that was likely a bad idea. Overconfidence never got us anywhere. For the sake of Adel and the Apple, we wanted to get to Forli with as little conflict as humanely possible.

Adel totally and completely refused to be left behind for any reason, proclaiming loudly that there was no way in hell that she'd let us go without her. Why she wanted to go to a city that would likely be held under attack as soon as we entered, I really had no idea. Then I decided that it would only be beneficial for her to actually be in an dangerous situation. That way, she'd either change her mind about the supposed glories of being an Assassin completely, or work even more diligently. Since she would be with three assassins inside a fortified fortress, it was almost as safe as taking a walk down to the market place in the middle of the day.

To say that we relaxed as we came on board would be a lie - we weren't tense in the first place. Both Ezio and I were completely at ease, and Adel already learned to trust us without question. So we simply strolled in and settled comfortably on the deck.

I looked back on Venezia, saying goodbye to it for the second time with a light smile. I knew we'd come back here many times, either for work or pleasure, or when it had more tyrants to clean up and peace to reestablish. For now, I was content with the knowledge that the sleeping city was out of Templar reach. Something so beautiful should be a sin to corrupt with their greedy, blood-stained hands.

After a moment, I turned around, leaning against the rails of the boat, looking over to my companions. Ezio was staringat the horizon thoughtfully, his hood pushed backand seemingly obvious to the fact that Adel was attempting to sneak up on him, probably trying to pull on his pony tail. He caught her at the last second, lightly grabbing her wrist out of midair. Within seconds, her shrieks of disappointment disappeared into their loud laughter as he began to tickle her. He really looked like he missed the girl just as much as me. The adorable, stubborn, determined and proud ten year-old that decided to take the same path as us...

I must have dozed off to the sounds of the sea and the calling of the sailors, because the boat's swaying was really nothing like a carriage. But for some reason I was reminded of one…

_The cheery trot of the horses, the sounds of the wheels creaking on the stone street. My curtains were drawn for a reason- I didn't want anyone remembering my face, but I can't say I missed much of the view. England was never my __place__. '__Tis__ why I preferred to travel through countries, not staying anywhere for too long, but always coming back. Not that my child minded too much; she would follow me on the other side of the world if need be. And aside from that, who __did__ I have? Just her and that stupid, unpredictable, useless, but oh-so charming and wonderful lover of mine..._

I blinked, the strange sensation swirling in my mind for a few moments. Yet before I could fully recall it, I found myself letting sleep overtake me again.

* * *

Forli had not changed since the last time we rode through. It was still the same half-sunken fortress with most of the houses somehow left outside the walls. People didn't seem to mind, however, building make-shift trails of crates to walk across, or simply staying on the dry paths. The smell was only a bit worse than Venezia's docks, the permanent gray fog obscuring the horizon.

"Don't you just _love_ swamps?" I asked cheerfully as I finally stepped onto the dock, carrying only my bag on my person, and swept the location with my eyes. "Now. Adel, remember what we talked about?" She rolled her eyes, nodding. "Repeat."

"Why do I have to do this every-"

"Because you forget it each and every time. So until you can either properly stay out of trouble or at least take care of yourself, repeat_._"

"Don't run off, don't take candy from strangers…what is it with that one, anyway?"

"_Repeat_, Adelaide!" I ignored Ezio behind us as his laugh quickly turned into a cough at a poor attempt to hide his amusement.

Rolling her eyes, she continued counting off on her fingers. "And don't get into trouble. If I do, mention your or Ezio's name to one of the thieves, mercenaries or courtesans. Um, will that one work here...? But I'll ask directions from them, anyway," she recited obediently.

"And?" I pressed on. She sighed.

"Don't question your instructions and don't get myself captured again." That last lesson she learned very well when we had to rescue her from Silvio. I think my corpse was enough to convince her.

"Good. And don't look so sour," I patted her on the shoulder, "Caterina Sforza has quite a few children, so you won't be left completely bored," I hoped that sounded encouraging, though I knew she didn't like other kids too much. By the slight frown on her face, I could tell that nothing changed.

"Hmm. Speaking of which, is that the welcoming committee?" Ezio muttered, and I threw my head up to look at the trail. Walking towards us was a small group made up of Caterina Sforza, who rode on a rather pretty white mare, Niccolo on a pitch black one, and few heavily armed guards, dressed in the dark green colors of Forli. We sent out a pigeon right before we left, so the appearance was not unexpected.

Okay, I admit that I couldn't say I was very pleased to see the beautiful ruler of the city. Money, power, looks…and she was a good ride, too, judging by her confident handling of her mount. So, all in all, what _wasn't_ there to be annoyed by?

"Nice. They likely alerted everyone they possibly could of the meeting with the noise those tin cans are creating," I grumbled. "Well, at least they thought to bring horses for us," I kicked at the muddy trail, "This ground doesn't look as if it's meant for walking..."

"Hey, Eden?" Adel asked with curiosity as we stood there, waiting for the group, "How long would it take you to kill all of them?"

Now see, if any other child asked that sort of question, she'd have many, _many _years of expensive therapy ahead of her. But things were different in this time. Violence was a natural part of life, witnessed up close and personal. So for her, it was not a strange question. For some reason she never got tired of my musings, whether they were on strategy, or the random other skills of our profession. Like predicting how long it would take me to kill an entire squad of guards. I think she was somehow learning from it, too, storing all the little tidbits in her brain until she had further need of them. And with her lack of disgust or horror towards such topics, I think she would one day really become something... dangerous. If she lived to see the day, of course, which was never certain when you have friends like us.

Maybe it was a good thing she was with us.

"Well," I began, eyeing the group and quickly taking stock of them. Ezio shot us both a look from the corner of his eye, though he didn't say anything. I didn't quite know what to make of that, especially as he crossed his arms. So I plunged onward. "The ones with the funny hats wouldn't take that long," I pointed at the three foot soldiers in less heavy armor, "About…five seconds each? Their captains in the metal helmets are a bit trickier since they dodge rather well. They're better trained too, so they block some of the counters."

"Six second each?" she suggested helpfully.

"You give her too much credit," Ezio laughed, previous expression replaced by amusement. "I'd say about ten to fifteen."

"Thanks for that, Ezio," I glanced at him with an "I'm not amused" stare, continuing. "The brutes are the hardest," I worried my lip, "They swing those giant axe things around like a farmer would while trying to decapitate a chicken. And not the type that misses all the time or allows the chickens to jump up and run around without a head on. More the sorts that wouldn't bat an eye if the axe slips and gets stuck it the head of the neighbor behind them who innocently wanted to ask for some sugar..."

"Poor neighbor."

"Yes, it's quite tragic. But my point was that those guys deserve full fifteen seconds to take care of."

"Or about twenty to thirty seconds, if you're tired and fight them last," Ezio replied, crouching down to her level and holding her interested gaze. "Which is why," he smirked, "You always take out the biggest ones first. Take out two or more in quick succession terrifies the rest of the group, usually causing them to flee... which is a nice bonus, and saves you the trouble of having to fight them."

"Precisely," I said with a small smile, "Now you do the math."

"Hmm. So all in all, just under a minute," she hummed, "Less if take out the big ones…what if you sneaked up on them?"

"Come now, that's just not giving them a chance," Ezio chuckled, standing back up.

"But," I said, "If you time it correctly, you can get rid of them all in under twenty seconds without even one of them realizing something is wrong."

"At least one would notice," Adel argued skeptically, "I mean, wouldn't the pain give it away?"

"That really depends on how sharp the blade is-"

"And whether you care more for pure silence or damage," Ezio thoughtfully said.

"Is that really a proper conversation to have with a child, _signore_?" a passing sailor snorted with disapproval, carrying a heap of ropes for some ship's rigging slung over his shoulder.. Huh, I think this was the first time I'd actually seen a _sober_ sailor. Until this day I thought those were mythological creatures.

I was about to open my mouth to say something, but Adel beat me to it. "I'm not a child," she snidely snapped, "I can decide for myself what I want to talk about." The man was taken aback from the blunt reply, muttering something under his breath and waving his arm before he speedily walked away.

I sighed - it was really his mistake. Adel hated to be treated her age, claiming that she was old and smart enough to be treated with at least some respect. I'm not sure if that was the noble blood in her talking, or if it was just a tick of her personality. Or perhaps she just spent too much time with independent women like Rosa and me, and other motivated adults.

However, there were other things to focus on as Ezio pulled my hand in the direction of the group. Niccolo greeted us with a smile and a short bow, which we replied to without hesitation. Meanwhile, Caterina began to positively glow at the sight of Ezio. I automatically felt my teeth clench.

"My, look who it is!" her sparkling blue eyes lit up. "I thought that when we met your were a _bit_ special. But an Assassin? Mmm!" she addressed Ezio in the low, even, and very attractive voice, almost purring the words. I rolled my eyes, smiling in greeting to Niccolo and taking the reigns of the gray horse from him. Lightly climbing into the saddle, I pulled Adel up in front of me. Ezio (after the courtesies, of course) followed suit, climbing a swift-looking, sandy brown horse provided by one of the guards.

Soon, I found that rather liked this horse I was on. He had none of Honey's character; he was calm, not minding the strangers on his back and letting me pick up the reigns without arguing and generally acted well trained and properly ridden. By the way he barely swayed or slid on the mud, I concluded that he was used to this terrain, which was just as well.

"You're going to love Forli!" Caterina chirped proudly, as we turned back towards the city, "Heavily fortified with cannons, I'm sure the Apple will be quite safe there."

"I'm sorry, but I have never heard of a woman ruling her own city," Ezio nodded, "It is most impressive."

I forced myself to swallow down the slight jealousy beginning to bubble inside my stomach. After all, Caterina was much more beautiful than I was ever meant to be, and she belonged to the sort of class of women men had a lot of trouble saying no to. And I well knew that Ezio was a natural flirt, no matter what. A symptom of his natural charm, it helped put the minds of ladies (and admittedly, quite a few men) at ease. Considering all we'd been through, I'd come to make peace with his habit.

Caterina was no slouch either. From what I could tell, she was independent, smart, resourceful and completely at ease with death. Where others might put up a front at its requirements to maintain order over her dominion, especially as the supposedly "weaker sex,"at least she didn't bother with appearing supposedly innocent or above it all. I could like her for that. At least you know where you stood with her.

"It was my husband's before, of course," the woman continued to explain of Forli. "He died."

"Oh, I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I had him killed."

"_Oh._"

Ezio coughed and glanced at me, and I smiled triumphantly. I did remember telling him that Caterina was one of those women that changed lovers and husbands in almost record times, and since divorce isn't exactly an option...

"We discovered Girlamo Riario was working for the Templars. He made a map of the location of the remaining Codex pages." My ears perked up at Niccolo's brief explanation. In the three years we barely managed to collect and translate half of the pages, we had little clue as to where the rest were. So a map like that would come in very useful.

"Do you have the map now, then?" I raised an eyebrow.

"Yes, we found it amongst his possessions. Locked away, of course, but getting to it was hardly a challenge."

Adel made no sound through the conversation, but was looking up at one of the Brute guards with curiosity, likely beginning to make the man nervous under the armor. She had never been very close to any of the fully armed guards before, and she was very inquisitive and curious by nature. Right now, she was likely trying to figure out how all the armor stayed on, how he walked in the seemingly solid plates, and how he managed to carry an axe around like that all the time.

"Eden, how can he see properly through that helmet?" she asked me loudly enough for the guard to hear. "And all that metal...isn't it really heavy?"

"Why don't you ask him?" I smiled encouragingly. "Hey, you wouldn't mind serving for educational purposes, do you?" I called at to him, where he rode beside us, "All the other guards tend to be rather rude, trying to kill us and all."I must have put him into a small state of shock with the blunt question, though I couldn't see his face. The guard beside him, who carried a spear, a fluffy, green feather on his helmet, actually smiled at that. Strange, I'd never seen a guard with an actual sense of humor and no annoying air of superiority in front of citizens, women and children. Forli was pleasantly surprising me thus far.

"It must be really hard to wave that thing around, right?" Adel sounded completely serious, not waiting for an answer, "That's why you wear all that armor, so that it's hard to hit you while you're swinging, right?"

The guard likely wasn't sure what to do, and just nodded. I hid a grin. "Adel, I'll take you to an armory some time, and you can question them all you like when they're off duty. Better yet, you should ask the mercenaries at Monteriggioni."

"I did, but they don't wear things like that," she pouted. "And they don't have very large weapons, just maces and stuff."

"I think I see where you're coming from." Blunt weapons were not my favorite, either.

"Such a charming daughter you have."

That was the first time Caterina spoke to me, and I looked at her with a slightly surprised look. She didn't sound sarcastic, and generally looked well-disposed. Ezio turned to speak to Niccolo, so she likely just wanted to figure out who the hell I was.

"I'm not her daughter," Adel shook her head, smiling angelically. "But I sort of wish I was."

That warmed my heart, I won't lie. I ruffled her hair, and finally introduced myself. Remembering that the last time we were here, I only saw her from afar and never got to speak to her. "I'm Eden."

"I know," Caterina continued to smile, though there was something almost distantly vicious in it. I quickly noticed that most nobles put on that same sort of routine smile, rarely actually meaning it. Then again, what do you have to smile about when everyone you meet might have intentions of stabbing you in the back? Openly colluding with assassins made that even more likely by some standards "I've heard quite a bit about you."

"Then we can skip all the explanations, and cut to the chase." She raised her eyebrows in surprise and alarm. "Would you give Adel here permission to talk to the guards off shift? She seems really curious as to their armor."

After a moment she let out a musical chuckle, "Do as you wish," she nodded, "The barracks are at your command for the duration of your stay."

"I presume we'll need it," I suddenly sighed.

"What do you-"

The noise level which was usually dulled by the heavy fog was growing steadily. With little warning, the stream of people who usually headed _towards_ the city suddenly turned back on itself, fleeing from Forli like a stampede of spooked antelopes.

"Oh _no_-" Caterina was the very first to break out of her haze, sending her horse into a gallop immediately. Ezio, Niccolo and me followed her instantly, and behind us I could hear the guards adding to the noise with their armor. "_Aspetta_!" Caterina called to a random passing woman making her break sharply, smearing the mud with her shoes. "What's happening?"

The girl was seriously out of breath, her face red, and her eyes dancing with fear. She looked up at Caterina as though she was God's personal bodyguard that'd come down to deliver justice. I actually almost laughed at the image in my head, but held it back in time. This situation was hardly funny.

"They came as soon as you left the city walls, Signora! The city is under attack!"

"We didn't even get a chance to arrive," I mused. Adel laughed shortly, seemingly unfazed by the situation. Ezio frowned, looking up to Forli in evaluation. This was definitely not part of our plans.

"What?" Caterina's eyes widened, "By who-?"

"The Orsi brothers, _Signora!_"

The Lady of Forli's reaction was immediate and simple - she became utterly furious. "God _damn_ it!"

"Who are the Orsi?" Ezio asked, though he kept his eyes trained on the wall. I could almost see the wheels spinning in his head, adapting to our new challenge with various, shifting plans. Likely, he had a minimum of a handful he was currently musing.

"The same rascals I hired to kill my husband!"

Adel pulled my sleeve, and I turned my attention to her. She didn't look scared or in any way disturbed by the situation, just completely focused on something. When I looked at her, she pointed in the direction of the city, not far from the closed gates. I followed the gesture with my eyes, and furrowed my eyebrows immediately.

"It's the Spaniard, of course. The Orsi have no world view bigger than their purse," Niccolo noted. Some feet in front of him, a group of Forli soldiers already engaged with Borgia's men. Despite Borgia's force outnumbering them by nearly two to one, the Forli guards did not back down. Continuing to fight with efficient determination, they quickly pressed the Borgia faction to the moat. But the Spaniard's numbers still came at them, just as dogged in their fresh wave of violence. I highly doubted their master would take failure in stride. It was better they die here than return unsuccessful. Unfortunately for us, their desperation seemed to be winning so far.

"But how could he know where we were taking the Apple?" Ezio asked, wheeling his horse around to join Niccolo, "Before we even knew?"

I licked my lips, slightly uncertain of what to do. They were just standing there, chatting about it like a rock in the middle of the river of people who were rushing to get the hell out of the city. I looked to the guards that were with us, who seemed to be just as frustrated as they waited for orders.

"They're not here for the Apple - they're here for Riario's map-"

"_Basta _with your map, Niccolo!" Caterina lost patience, her voice lacing with panic as she flipped him a rude gesture. Interesting, the middle finger was a lot older than I thought… "My children are inside! Oh, _fucking hell-!"

* * *

_

The situation?

Crappy.

Well, better than some. We could have all been dead and skewered outside of the walls. But aside from that? Pretty horrible.

So what did we have?

We had a taken over, heavily fortified town who's owner was locked outside like a lady who forgot her keys. We had extremely loud swearing coming from the aforementioned woman. The same woman who refused to take cover, even if the enemy on the wall looked ready to shoot at any moment.

Oh, yeah, and did I mention the fucking town was under siege, Borgia's men taking over and opening roaming the streets?

"Adel, stay here! And better yet, find a haystack to hide in!" I commanded, nearly jumping from my horse as I dismounted. She didn't even think of disobeying this time, thankfully.

"Niccolo-" Ezio began, hitting the ground, already beginning to move in the direction of the water.

"I've got them," he confirmed, withdrawing his sword and quickly ending a Borgia guard. Running him through, he swung down from his mount. I set off after Ezio immediately. Any other time I would have asked Caterina to shut down her creative swearing for a bit. But Adel heard worse before, and the woman obviously needed to get the steam out.

I caught up with him just as he found a small boat at the banks of the moat. I swiftly stepped down into it, and he took up the rowing, heading around the walls. To our luck, the men at the walls were still Caterna's guards, so we had no problems moving along the perimeter. "They really put a damper on our day, didn't they?" I muttered, and Ezio made a vague noise. "What's the plan?"

"I'll get up on the walls since the mechanism to open the gates is up there."

"Alright. Where are you going to head with Caterina and Niccolo?"

"The Castle."

I thought about it for a moment. The map we studied before our departure swam up in my head. "I'll meet you there. I can create a distraction for the guards, clean the way a bit for you."

"I think this is the place." Ezio stopped rowing, and the boat floated a bit further and came to a stop.

Well, Caterina lied. It was not a tunnel, but rather, the sewer gate for the water. The bars broke its surface, hopefully giving enough space to slip through. Without hesitating, I stepped out into the murky water. It greeted me with freezing wetness, eager to swallow me whole, but I kept my head above the surface.

"How's the water?" Ezio asked with a smirk.

"L-lovely," I gritted out, taking my bag from the boat and keeping it above my head, swimming closer to the gates.

Grasping the bars with my hands, I took a deep breath, and submerged. To my relief, the bars did stop not far below the surface, giving my space to slip through underneath it. When I re-emerged from the water, I was on the other side, facing the city. I let out a small thanks to the gods that my bag was waterproof, though I couldn't say the same for my clothes. Ezio joined me quickly, shaking his head and letting out splatters of water.

I doubt anyone noticed up from the city - all the citizens that didn't manage to get out before the gates closed were in a state of panic that the presence of the enemy only encouraged. The air was still filled with occasional screams, sobs, and whines. Somewhere in the distance, a child was crying loudly, and then choked.

We managed to get up to the street level in a secluded little spot. I immediately let my braid out, twisting the water out of it.

Our clothes were, thankfully, were brushed with a very fine layer of wax to avoid all the potential wear and tear from climbing all over the jagged finishes of buildings and rooftop tiles. Leonardo conceived of the idea a couple of years ago, at seeing how quickly we tore through various sets of trousers and tunics. Considering the lack of mass manufacturing, and that everything was handmade, clothes were bloody fortune in this time. Anyway, the wax caused the beads of water to slide off the material instead of soaking into it. All we had to do was get the water out of our boots and sheathes, and we were good to go.

"The Castle is just south," he reminded me, and I nodded, "I'll go let Caterina and Niccolo inside."

"Wait," I suddenly called him, surprising even myself. He stopped in his step, and looked back to me with a raised eyebrow. I nearly ran him down, and pulled his face down to mine. After a quick spell of shock at my sudden action, he kissed me back. Rather thoroughly too. Not that I was complaining_._

"What are you doing?" he finally asked against my lips.

"I really have no idea," I smiled, a thought flashing through my head- _Reminding you._ "Just in case. Good luck."

"Likewise." He pressed a hand to my cheek and then was gone.

I stayed to the shadows, keeping out of the panic and chaos's way, mentally accessing the damage made in the city. The results were actually not quite as bad as they appeared. There were Borgia soldiers everywhere, densely located throughout the streets, and blood was splattered over the stones from the battle. But aside from that, we were lucky they didn't bring siege machines to break inside, or things would have been much messier. Though there were a few smashed roofs, I noted. Perhaps the city guards used the cannons to fire inside the city, desperate to at least do something.

I didn't stay out of sight for long, as I needed to get their attention to me.

"Hey, that's one of them! How did she get inside the city?"

I smirked. Playing with guards was always fun, however dangerous. Those men could very well put a few holes in me if I ever gave them the chance. But I would have to stand motionlessly for them to do that, and that was just not in my character. There was certain pleasure in letting them chase you, knowing perfectly well that you could outrun them with ease, and if you let them catch up... well, it's their death sentence.

It's funny how they don't get bored of the game, either, while acting the part of vigilant heroes to the best of their ability. But really, did they seriously not notice that I was circling around the same block...?

* * *

"You did it, Ezio!" Caterina called as she and her guards entered the city. Ezio joined them down below to help deal with the remaining guards that hadn't been drawn away by Eden.

"We'll have to fight our way through to the Castle," Niccolo called through the clash of the swords. Caterina surprised Ezio by drawing out a decent looking dagger from the many folds of her dress and immediately backstabbing one of the enemy guards. Ezio caught a man who was swinging his sword at one of her bodyguards, almost crushing his throat with his arm and driving one of his hidden blades into his chest. Niccolo held up his own beautifully, easily sheathing the sword up to the hilt in one of the enemy's stomach.

"Wait -where's that little girl? She was just behind us a moment ago!" It was Caterina that noticed the absence as soon as they dealt with the guards by the gates. Ezio furrowed his eyebrows, glancing around. Adel was nowhere in sight. But he knew she was not in trouble, either.

"I think she's with Eden, and we don't have time to look," he decided quickly. "Let's move."

* * *

"Adel, _what did we talk about_?" I sighed, kicking down the last of the tin cans. He grunted, and slid off my sword, joining three others on the ground, "You don't wander off until you can properly defend yourself, or at least run away."

"I did run away, though, from the gates where Ezio was!" she argued, looking at the dead men with some distaste. There was not a hint of disgust or nausea thanks to the frequent dissections she was present at in Leonardo's workshop. And it wasn't her first time watching someone die, either. She has already managed to develop almost scientific fascination to death, like a doctor would examine a new type of infection.

I often wondered if it was the right thing to teach her...

"They were swinging those swords around so much I had to get out of there."

"Yes, and you thought of nothing better than to follow me when I had half of the attackers on my tail?"

"So? It's you," she opened her blue eyes wide, fluttering her thick eyelashes charmingly. It would have worked wonders on anyone else, but I remained stern.

"I'm flattered, but seriously, you shouldn't risk your life like that, considering that a child in a traveling cloak in the middle of a city under siege attracts very unwanted attention. Keep that in mind the next time you run off," I ordered.

She pouted adorably, crossing her arms. "You wouldn't mind so much if you taught me how to use a weapon properly, instead of making me read old books."

"In your position it's good to know about politics and history."

"And why is that?"

"Because if you do change your mind, you still have a rather decent shot at returning to nobility."

That stumped her for a moment, and then she showed outright disgust at the very idea of ever doing that. "I don't-"

She didn't get to finish, as at that moment, I decided that the argument in the middle of a battlefield would not yield good results. Gesturing for her to follow me, I made my way up roofs. She was still too weak to climb at length, but one story buildings were little trouble, especially if there were stacked crates nearby that went up half way.

There were no archers on the buildings today, all the men called down to the streets to help out with the defense. So we lightly ran through the roofs without trouble. The citadel was in sight, even through the fog, and we were soon on the roofs of the buildings opposite of the fort.

"They shut the gates," I muttered with approval. At least Ezio wasn't making any stupid mistakes, like waiting for me to show up. Adel huffed beside me, trying to catch her breath, but she did not complain. I only felt slightly winded, as I was more than used to long runs.

"I think they're in trouble," Adel observed, and I nodded. I could see that the Orsi reinforcements came from the other side of the city. What was worse is that they brought ladders. Who the hell were these people, the MacGyvers of the 15th century? Who brings a ladder with them into battle?

_They planned thoroughly, it seems..._

"Can we help them somehow?" Adel replied.

"Shush. You've done enough for today," I growled, swiftly pulling out a crossbow from underneath my cloak, loading quickly. I picked the light weapon only a few months previous, taking the time to learn how to shoot it properly aside from making a few adjustments to its construction. Not as effective as a gun, but it could still cover decent distances. "I swear, if I have to rescue you one more time-"

"You'll send me to a nunnery?" she rolled her eyes. I sighed, knowing the point was null. She knew perfectly well that if I haven't done so already, all my threats were empty. Also, I highly doubted such things could actually hold her.

"I'm regretting letting you come with us," I just muttered, quickly judging the distance. It was far, but thankfully, not far enough. One of the closest enemies fell from the roof, likely confusing the hell out of Niccolo, who was fighting with the persistent bastard for almost two minutes now. Then he must have noticed me, as he saluted shortly with his sword, getting back to the fighting on the roofs.

"And then we go after these Orsi brothers?" Adel asked, watching the fight with curiosity. Another bolt, another corpse...

"You were listening...And Ezio and me will go after the Orsi brothers. _You_ will stay behind in the fortress, where I don't have to worry about your safety."

She looked reluctant but nodded. Suddenly, she looked down with suddenly eager curiosity again, and I had to grab the back of her cloak to keep her from falling by accident. "Who is that?"

I followed her gaze to two men that were walking confidently towards the drawbridge of the fortress. Both were dressed in rich purple clothes, wielding rather nice blades that made me feel a kleptomaniac pang. Even from here I could see pouches on their belts and the daggers in their sheathes. It was easy to tell they were not amateurs in the killing business. They were surrounded by guards, but still close enough for me to easily snipe both of them down before they could even realize what was happening. I aimed, but then stilled my finger on the trigger, instinct flaring. After all, they would not be walking in here so casually if they didn't have something to hold over Caterina's head...

"Caterina! Caterina Sforza! I know you're in there!" one of the brothers folded his hands around his mouth, amplifying the sound slightly. I looked up to the parapets, where the charming owner of the city stepped into sight. My, that glare could melt an iceberg...shame she wasn't around to save the Titanic. "And I have something you may want back!" the brother laughed.

I furrowed my eyebrows, wondering exactly what they had that Caterina wouldn't be willing to order her archers to shoot them down for. Ezio appeared at her side, blood splattered all over him, but I was sure he was okay. However, he didn't look in the best of moods, understandably. Flexing his fingers on one hand, his other palmed a throwing knife. I could feel his eyes flicker up to mine, but he made no sign of recognition.

"Are you missing any children, perhaps?"

I barely managed to hold back a low whistle. Yep, things were most certainly_ not_ good.

"And, Ezio Auditore! What a pleasant surprise!" the other Orsi mockingly added as he caught sight of the Assassin. I narrowed my eyes, my hands itching to release the trigger, though I don't think that any of the people in the citadel would thank me for it. They likely already gave the order to kill the kids if they did not come back, or even arranged a replacement. I ground my teeth, and took my finger off the trigger completely, just to avoid further temptation.

"I take it you are the Orsi brothers?"

_No shit, Ezio..._

"Ludovico..." One gave a bow, and the other finished, "And Checco. At your service." Ironic statement, considering they were hired by the side opposing to us.

"_Basta!_ Where are my children? Let them go!" Caterina screamed down at them in panic and fury.

"Of course, _Signora_. We'll happily give them back- for something of yours. A certain map?" Ludovico yelled back with absolute cheerfulness, despite the dire situation.

"And a certain Apple, brother," Checco reminded him. I cursed under my breath, clenching my jaw. _Fucking hell on highwater…_

"_Si,_ a certain Apple indeed! Or shall I slice your babies' necks ear to ear?" The gesture the bastard made left nothing to imagination. Adel was watching the scene with horror, and I felt disgust at their behavior. I could understand holding hostages or interrogating for information. But threatening to kill children for a piece of parchment and an artifact they couldn't even use? Sickening.

Something drew my eye and tugged on my intuition. While the entire square was completely deserted, aside from the Orsi brothers and their men, there was someone else. A man in the black, gold-lined robes of a monk walked behind them, unnoticed by all. I frowned. What was he thinking? Did he not hear the news of the attack? I shook my head - another insane person in the picture made no difference, only serving as a distraction to the task at hand.

Speaking of insane people...

"_Bastardi_! You think you can threaten me? I'll give you NOTHING! You want my children? Take them! I have the instrument to make more!"And with those words, Caterina did something that I don't think anyone in the whole wide world would have expected. She stood at the edge and flashed open her skirts to reveal her... _"instrument."_

If the situation was different, I would have been choking on laughter by now. Sadly, the situation was still the same, and the two brothers got over their shock within moments. Even worse, they seemed to call out her bluff.

"When you change your mind, they'll be in the village outside the city. You have one hour!" With those parting words, they walked away with their heads held high, as though they have won something.

"Eden," Adel looked pale as she tugged on my sleeve, "Will they actually kill them?"

"Considering the type of people the are?" I absently ran a calming hand through her hair, nervously biting on my lips, "Yes, they will. But Ezio won't agree to this. Come on now, we can slip inside now."

The doors opened slightly to let Ezio out, and I knew that my guess was correct. He could not in good conscience let this happen. I didn't pause in my step, walking right into his arms. He held me tightly, heaving a long breath of relief. "_Dio mio_, Eden. I thought your timing was better than that."

"I got held back," I explained quickly. "I did arrive in time for the play, though...Adel, get inside, and stay there! Wait..." I scanned Ezio, making sure he was truly alright, and stopped at his belt. "Where's the Apple?"

"I left it behind with Caterina. It will be safer there. Come on, we have to get going. We only have an hour-"

"Oh, right. Caterina...you know, this might be a bad time, but do you think she can give me her autograph?"

"Not funny," he sighed, gesturing for me to follow.

"_Mi dispiace_, I'm just in shock."

"_Si_, I don't think anyone expected…that," Ezio grinned slightly, climbing back up onto the roofs.

"Epic. Wonder if Wikipedia had that on her," I followed him up lightly. He didn't bother asking what the hell Wikipedia was. "How many children do they have hostage?" I asked on the way.

"Two - Bianca and Ottaviano, I believe."

"That's not good. If they only had one, we wouldn't have to worry so much since they wouldn't get rid of the only leverage they have on us..."

"Then we have to hurry, now don't we?"

* * *

"Two moves should be enough," Ezio stated, rubbing his chin in thought and looking up at the tower one last time as he quickly formulated his plan. "We'll come from both sides, _si?_ I'll distract them and you keep them away from Bianca, in case they decide to threaten us."

"Good plan," I nodded.

The village that was on the outskirts of Forli, not far from a small chapel, was empty. All the civilians had either fled or were hiding deep within their houses, afraid to even peek out the windows. The only sounds were the footsteps of soldiers, muffled by the fog, the surprisingly loud crickets and frogs, and the loud cursing of a young girl.

Bianca, it seemed, refused to take the entire hostage thing lying down. The Orsi likely expected her to be scared out of her wits, but the girl was Caterina Sforza's daughter, after all. No doubt, she wouldn't go down without a struggle. Despite the laughter and taunts of her guards, she continued to threaten them, her vicious snarl unwavering.

Like mother, like daughter.

"Don't you dare think I'm scared of you, you half-witted oafs!"

"You should save that pretty throat of yours!" one threw at her.

"Not like anyone can hear you, anyway," another guard added, "Then again, you'll be dead soon-"

"If you harm a hair on me or my brother's head, my mama will hunt you down force you eat your own balls!"

"Words! You can't do anything! Look-" one of the men took a confident step towards her, but couldn't even finish it.

You should have seen the look on his face when a menacing figure in a black cloak and low hood dropped out of the sky from nowhere in between him and the hostage...

"Manly," I noted from behind him as he let out a small shriek of surprise. It soon gargled and died in his throat, and he fell to his knees in front of me. At the same moment, two of the dumb-struck men joined him as Ezio appeared behind them, the last dropping his weapon and clutching at the throwing knife in his throat. It was over in moments. Honestly, did the Orsi really expect these men to be able to hold off Ezio? Of course they couldn't account for me, but my partner was infamous enough.

Yet something didn't feel quite right about the situation…

As soon as I was sure that no one else but Ezio was in sight, I turned to the girl. She actually stopped talking for a few short moments in surprise, but then smiled. Glancing around at the fresh corpses now scattered on the ground around her, she shrugged, showing no hint of distress. Apparently death and destruction weren't a foreign concept to this Sforza as well.

"_Grazie_, Signora, Signore!" her voice immediately melted, as we untied her. She got to her feet and stretched. Suddenly, she spun around, racing back towards the road. "They took Ottaviano to the lighthouse - there!" she waved her hand somewhere south, where I could indeed see a tall lighthouse. The fire licking up from it outlined passing guards.

"Can you lead the way?" Ezio asked, likely just not wanting to let the girl run home all by herself. She nodded, instantly picking her skirt up out of the mud before furiously gesturing for us to follow her.

* * *

Ludovico was quickly becoming annoyed. The whole hostage situation somehow became more trouble than he felt was worth. And by his standards, that said a hell of a lot.

"But I need to pee!" the brat whined again.

How was he supposed to reply to that for the thousandth time? Well, with very little patience. The Orsi settled on a less-than-original, snarled, "Shut _up!_"

"But _signore! _I _really_ have to_ GO!"_

He growled under his breath, eye twitching as his hand clenched. "That's it, you little brat! You are going to shut that loud, ugly mouth of yours right now, or I'll break your jaw, God as my witness!"

It did not impress the boy one bit. He continued his complaining, as if Ludovico was nothing more than a stern tutor. At the drawn out, high-pitched "I have to pee-e-e-e-", the man finally snapped, beginning to raise his arm to strike the boy.

But before he could follow through on the creature, someone caught his hand.

"Geez, the boy has to pee and you hit him for it? What kind of idiot are you?" a female voice asked mockingly. When he tried to snatch out of her grasp, his free hand flying to his swordbelt, his arm was jerked up behind him with force. The flare of pain shot up, arcing along his shoulder blade. His breath caught in his throat with a painful, shocked gasp, and he almost howled in reply as something dislocated.

Wildly looking around, he realized too late that he was so distracted by the brat that he didn't even notice the approach of two assassins that he was expecting.

Kicking out a leg out from other him, the woman kneed him in the back, shoving him to the floor with surprising strength. Letting go of his wrist and losing all interest, she moved over to the Sforza kid. Ludovico was about to grab his weapon through the pain, but someone beat him to it. Without warning, he felt a heavy boot pressed to middle of his back with little mercy, forcing him to stay on the ground.

"Was it worth it?" It was Ezio Auditore who spoke now, his voice laced with disgust. Gritting his teeth, Ludovico suddenly had no doubt that all his men down below were dead, and he was about to join them in hell... "You life for a handful of coppers?"

"Heh," Ludovico suddenly couldn't help but smirk, even though all he wanted to do was whine like a wounded dog. His arm felt as though it was on fire, each pulse shoving it deeper into his body. At least he was not dying. Well, not yet. But there was no doubt in the assassins' power over him at that moment. "Fools! You have been played...the Master gets his prize now, because of me."

"They all say that," the woman said, smoothly cutting through the child's bindings. "Each and every time."

That was the last thing he has ever heard before the foreign cold steel pierced his throat, registering only the flash of pain and then the victorious feeling at the same time as a clear realization of what he had just done...


	41. Chapter 40

Adelaide sat on the bench of the citadel's courtyard, her knees drawn up close to her chest and her hands playing with a small throwing knife, waiting for her guardians to return. She took the knife off one of the dummies Eden used for target practice, as the knife was sunk so deeply, she didn't even notice it when she collected them again. Even if the assassin noticed the weapon, useless and insignificant in the hands of a child, she said nothing.

Adel was thinking. She has been doing plenty of that recently with all the books that she found in Antonio's library and the talks with Leonardo, Eden and Ezio. With her horizons expanded, there was more space to ponder. In a way, Eden was right; knowing the history and tricks of politics helped Adel, at the age of only ten, understand people and their actions much better. It quickly led to her losing much of the naivety and confusion that most children usually had.

But today, she was not thinking about politics, or studying the methods of obtaining and holding power, or examining live (or dead) examples of it, in the forms of the Barbarigo cousins, the Doge of Venice, Rodrigo Borgia and the others. She already spent much of her time figuring those out, hoping that even a little knowledge could help Eden and Ezio in some way. No, today she was pondering more personal things.

How many more times would Eden and Ezio disappear like this to go and save someone's life? Or put an end to the tyranny of Templars, one district and power-thirsty madman at a time? And how many more times would they come back? And why did she pride herself with the fact that she was their student, yet still felt absolutely useless? Becoming nothing more than a burden to them, when they had so many other things to protect, why did she constantly hinder them?

She understood better with the years why Eden refused her at first, and why she continued to put off further training. Adel was someone who could be easily used against them, without remorse or guilt, just the desire to bring the assassins to their knees, or even less. The little scene outside the gates of the Arsenal two years ago showed that much. For men that would kill innocent children simply because they wanted a few more coins. Disregarding the fact that those children had futures, and that they had families that would cry over them...

"What are you doing here?" Adel looked around, surprised to hear someone talking to her. She was sure that she was allowed into the fortress. After all, both of her guardians were guests here, and they told her to get inside. So she simply raised an eyebrow, not bothering to move from her spot.

The speaker was a boy who looked even younger than her by perhaps two or three years, with dark, ruffled hair and slightly narrowed, muddy green eyes. He was not ugly or bad looking, but Adel wasn't really sure how to judge that. For her parents always seemed to care more about the money in the man's pockets rather than his huge front teeth or fishy eyes, though her current guardians disproved that theory soon enough. He was dressed rather richly, despite the few dirt stains and a small tear along the arm of his tunic, so he was probably one of Caterina's children. Adel barely spared him a glance of cold disinterest, not moving her feet off the bench or in any way inviting the boy to linger.

"Ezio and Eden told me to stay here. So I'm staying," she replied calmly. "I wish I could come with them, but since I can't..."

"Then why don't you?" Tentatively, he sat down on the very edge, likely realizing that she was not going to move. "Tell me who you are!"

"Right this moment, your _highness_," she replied with a short laugh. He shifted his eyebrows together. "Do you want me to go into detail, or can you guess?"

He only opened his mouth twice, but she already didn't like him. She had seen kids and adults like him, used to whining and ordering around their servants, knowing that they could do just about anything they pleased without consequence. There was a time she pretended to like them for the sake of her parents. But now, she decidedly had no patience for them.

As she knew, he found no answer to her question. Adel, taking note that the boy apparently refused to leave just yet, changed the subject. "Why aren't _you _inside? Aren't you scared?" As he opened his mouth angrily, she added, "For your siblings, that is?"

"Bianca and Ottaviano?" he rolled his eyes, "Like we can get rid of them that easily. That man went to look for them, anyway. Is he your father?"

"No." It was the second time that day people implied that she even had parents. "He's my teacher."

"He doesn't look like someone who can teach sewing and cooking." Adel wasn't sure whether he was simply surprised or actually mocking her. But just in case, she humphed, and turned away.

"I'm going to be an assassin one day," she said to the wall proudly, "Eden says that men can start learning to cook their own meals." She didn't add the fact that Eden said that because she could not cook anything other than crisps and ash.

"Why would a girl like you want to become something like that?

Adel threw him a quick look through narrowed eyes. "Because I don't like cooking," she snapped aggressively, "Or sewing. I want to be like them - everyone is either afraid or them or praises them like saviors. They get respect, which is more than I can say for you."

"I get respect," he grumbled, not pleased with the conversation. Adel absently wondered what he was expecting from her, and then decided she didn't care. "I'm a noble and my mother is the ruler of this city."

She sighed…the boy just didn't understand.

"Well, if you want to be useless your entire life..."

"Cesare!" a shrill female voice called, and the middle-aged woman Adel thought was the nanny came running out of one of the buildings. "Come back inside, it's not safe yet! Or do you want to be swept away like your brother and sister?"

"She gets to stay out!" he complained loudly, pointing to Adel, who watched with slight amusement. She remembered when she had a woman like that on her tail. She certainly did not miss her, or the constant attention and her annoying mumbling that endlessly buzzed in her ears.

One glance at the girl's simple traveling clothes, mud-sprayed cloak, and the small knife she spun about in her hands told the woman everything. She frowned, staring at Adel with disapproval, a glare which the girl wholeheartedly returned, but with an added smirk of defiance. "The young lady can do as she wishes."

_"I'd like to see you try to force me..." _The thought flashed in her head, but Adel said nothing. It was a long time since she had decided not to allow anyone to take control of her like the parents did. Eden and Ezio were the only ones she permitted to tell her what to do for the sake of the training, but that was it.

"But-"

He didn't finish, however. At that moment, Caterina herself appeared in the courtyard, walking alongside Niccolo and discussing something with him in hushed tones. Cesare slipped behind the nanny without waiting for his mother to notice him, while Adel stood up, meaning to go and ask Niccolo something.

"They will come back soon, hopefully. If they don't run across the Orsi brothers by then, we'll be sure to hunt them down."

"Good," Caterina nodded, expression awash with relief, even as she said, "I want their heads on spikes after they dared to double cross me."

"I'll see what we can do." Adel couldn't tell whether the man was serious or not. "But in the meantime-" The girl noticed something out of the corner of her eyes, and jerked her head up in alarm, her hand gripping the hilt of the throwing knife she was playing with. She saw nothing at first, and decided that it was just her eyes playing tricks on her-

Wait. Eden said that when eyes play tricks, intuition takes over. And there was definitely something wrong...

She tried to relax and focus on the surroundings, like her teachers taught her. What was wrong? What was different? It was quiet, but that was because everyone waited for the attack to end.

Metal...there was definitely the sound of metal clanking, and it wasn't coming from Niccolo or Caterina. The assassin noticed something, too, and was looking up to the walls cautiously, his hands on the hilt of his blade. Caterina swiftly caught on to the fact that he was no longer listening to her, shifting her eyebrows together but not understanding.

What was happening?

They came suddenly. The man that she saw on the plaza in front of the castle earlier, the one threatening to kill Caterina's children. He and only about half a dozen men jumped down to the middle of the courtyard from the roofs-

Niccolo, Caterina and the guards that remained in the citadel drew their weapons as soon as they realized what has happening. The man in purple ore still wore the same sadistic smirk, though there was a trace of worry. Without many words, he and his men attacked. Swords arced through the air, steel clashing on steel again, fresh blood spraying onto the ground. Niccolo dispatched two of the Orsi men immediately in one fluid movement, taking a graceful a step in defense of the woman. However, she hardly needed it, effectively holding her own.

Adel stood, watching with shock and fascination at the same time, suddenly unsure as to what she was supposed to be doing in this type of situation. Someone began to pull on her arm, and her eyes darted in the direction. Cesare was trying to pull her to the safety of the houses, looking quite terrified. _Useless._ she decided mentally, ripping her arm from his grip, and staying in her spot. The gesture snapped her out of the momentary confusion, and she quickly tried to think the situations through.

The Apple... they had to be here for it. Her eyes snapped to Caterina, seeking the artifact on her. In seconds, she rapidly realized that it was no longer on her, instead the hands of the Purple Man, who suddenly made a start towards the gates, slipping from the battle.

Adel wasn't really sure what forced her hand to move - perhaps it was the fact that within moments, the man would disappear with the treasure Ezio and Eden were guarding. Or maybe, it was simply a reflex she'd learned from watching their practices.

She drew her hand back, and with all her strength threw the knife at the back of the intruder, and-

To her surprise, she didn't miss completely. Fortunately, he didn't manage to put enough space between them, for a baby could make the throw. The throwing knife sank into his elbow, throwing him off center into a stumble. Yet, despite a loud string of curses, her he continued to run. Both Niccolo and Caterina were out the door after him before anyone else in the courtyard could even realize what was happening.

Adel continued to stand in her spot, still shocked at her own actions. She just…she just threw a very sharp knife…she meant for it to sink much higher and to the left, where she knew the heart was.

Without further thought, she took off out the gates, ignoring the astonished stare of Cesare. Crashing into Niccolo, who'd stopped just before crossing the draw bridge, after a moment, she realized why; from the side of the gates, two very familiar people were running towards them, two kids at their side.

"Ottaviano! Bianca! Oh, thank God!" Caterina fell down to her knees, completely ignoring the fact that her new dress got stained in the process as she hugged her children tightly. Both of them initially squirmed away, rolling their eyes at her alternate cries of relief, kisses and scolding, which was only followed by more sounds of relief. Yet after a few moments, they quickly returned her embrace. Ottaviano was babbling about how much of a _puttana _Ludvico was, Bianca excitedly repeating how she constantly taunted the guards.

Eden stood off the side, shrugging and filling in anything the children may have forgotten. However, Ezio quickly took in the dead Orsi guards scattered in front them and Caterina's freshly bloodied sword."What are you doing out here?" he asked incredulously.

Freezing, Caterina let the boy and girl go, ushering them inside, before she turned to face him. "Ezio," she breathed, eyes watery and worried, "I am so sorry..."

"What happened?"

"It was all just a distraction, to lower our defenses!" she quickly told him.

"They came back as soon as you left! Checco has the Apple!" Niccolo interrupted, his sword still drawn.

A horrified look flashed across Ezio's face. "_What?_ No! Where is he?"

Eden's jaw was clenched tightly as she shot a glance of slight accusation at Caterina. And no wonder - Ezio trusted her to keep the artifact safe. Despite that Machiavelli there, and with an entire fortress at their disposal... "We chased him out here, and he made a run for it," Niccolo continued,"He's probably out the gates already-"

"We'll go after him!" Adel could see controlled panic in Ezio's eyes as he turned to Eden. She shook her head however.

"You go and try to catch up to him. It'll be easier alone."

"What do you have in min-" Ezio began with furrowed eyebrows, but she glared at him. There was no time to argue.

"_Jesu Cristo!_ Go, you can't let him get away!"

He only hesitated for half a second before he broke into a run, disappearing from sight.

"Is the map intact, at least?" Eden turned to the people that remained.

"Yes, it's in-"

"Good." And with that, she headed inside of the fortress. "Where would he head to?"

"The mountains, likely, in direction of Florence," Niccolo fell into step, walking into the fortress.

"Is it possible to alert a guard post there?" she curtly asked. Adel was slightly surprised. Usually so pleasant and cheerful at any other time, now she was collected and focused. Refusing giving into the panic, she snapping through solutions faster than Adel could even fully understand the situation.

"A pigeon should make it there before Checco," Niccolo replied fast, as he likely already came to the same option. "He could take an alternative route, but they should still be alerted." Adel hung on to every word, following the exercise Ezio set her almost a full year ago. It consisted of thinking of as many different outcomes as she could and then finding a way to narrow it down to the best one. So far, she has doing that dutifully every time they got contracts or missions, so this one was almost no problem.

After a few calculations, she decided that their chances of catching Checco Orsi were better than good. And Eden likely came to the same conclusion as well. But then why did she look so grim?

As if reading her mind, Eden bit her lip, and sighed. "I have a bad feeling about all this."

* * *

Ezio felt the trembling of the horse becoming imprinted in his mind as he sent it galloping even faster, forcing it to catch up to the fleeing man. The horse under him snorted angrily, but ran with the endurance and speed of a well-bred race horse, leveling with the runaway. He'd never tried doing something as incredibly risky as jumping from one horse's back to another while running at full speed. But there was a first time for everything...

There were mere seconds left before the horse would begin to tire, or worse, the Orsi would pull out a blade. Ezio fired off a shot from his bracer gun almost without aiming, barely keeping in the saddle himself as his horse made a start at the loud noise. It had its desired effect though, Checco's horse rearing up on its hind legs and screeching with pain. The man on its back did not expect such a trick, and almost let go of the reigns. Only by luck and desperation did he manage to hold himself in the saddle. It did little good however, as the horse showed every sign of collapsing within seconds. Forced to finally let go, he crashed down on his backside in the soft mud.

It took Ezio a few moments to turn the horse around and come back to the spot. Unfortunately, those few moments were enough for Checco to leap to his feet and disappear.

Ezio cursed mentally, but slid off his nervous horse. Despite that he was exhausted from all the fighting and counter attacking, he took a deep, calming breath to center himself into Eagle Vision.

He caught up to the Templar flunky right in the middle of a small village southwest of Forli's wall, at the path that led into the mountains. The silence enveloped him like a thick fog, more heavy than that of a graveyard. Checco was a professional, after all, giving nothing away. No sign of heavy breathing, nervous footsteps, or even the rustle of clothing or metal could be heard. He was lying low, waiting for either a chance to attack or continue on his way. Neither of which was in Ezio's plans.

The Assassin stepped softly onto the mud, his glowing gaze flitting to every house and every crack in between, straining all his senses. His horse's snorting, loud steps and his enemy's horse's painful struggle was proving difficult to block out. But he forced that noise away, focusing.

He began to walk in the direction of his target's trail, slowly, carefully, and soundlessly. As he leveled with the deep shadow of the first house, he made sure to check the path behind him, and then continued. Perfectly silent, he refused to give his position away with taunts or threats. Playing with the targets was more Eden's specialty. And even then, only when she was sure they were in her grasp. He was not prepared to take any chances, for the Orsi brother, while inferior in skill, still had a good chance...

It was the sharp intake of a pained breath that gave the man away. He was pressed against the wall just behind the corner of the next house, and Ezio was upon him in seconds.

The last Orsi brother fell with a grunt, the shock of the hidden blade slicing through his middle paralyzing his movements. Ezio let out a short breath of relief as he snatched him by his throat, rendering him unable to move. Checco looked up to him with pained, but clear eyes full of hatred as Ezio reached for the Apple, which shone brightly in the dark shadow.

"So...you have your prize again."

"Was it worth it?" Ezio asked, sincerely wanting to know what possessed this man to trade his life for a few coins. Checco laughed before breaking into a coughing fit, the blood already spilling from his lips. He was fading fast, it seemed. "To go through all that only for the Apple to once again end up in my hands?"

The man grinned as if Ezio just told a funny joke. "A prize of such value? It will not remain yours for long..."

"We shall see.," Ezio took in the statement calmly, snapping out his hidden blade again and ending the other's man's life once and for all with a strike to the throat. "What wretched things are borne of greed..._requiescat in pace_."

A flare of pain screamed through his skull, his breath catching in his throat. Reeling, he searched for the source of the sudden explosion, his chest tightening as he willed himself not to panic. Glancing downward, it wasn't hard to miss how the front of his robes was steadily beginning to turn crimson. The stiletto in his side was unexpected...the dead man's hand slid to the ground, the bastard dying with a self-satisfied smirk set on his lips. Defiant to the end, apparently.

Despite that his vision swam instantly, Ezio refused to even let out a cry of annoyance,. The sharp ache spread from his stomach through his body, hitting his heart and brain with force. His crouched position was suddenly too hard to keep, and he fell to his side. "No…" he gritted out, "_Cazzo__…_dammit to hell-" The Apple was slipping out of his grasp, his fingers suddenly refusing to work.

Everything in sight seemed too dark…or too bright-? Dying….he was dying...? How was that…even…possible…?

_The irony..._

He'd heard that when you're dying, your life flashed before your eyes. For once, it didn't seem to be a lie. His mother…Claudia…Federico…Petruccio… his father…Eden...

"Eden," he demanded from the artifact with struggling voice, "Get _Eden_." The artifact responded by glowing along its seams, though he could barely see it, his vision darkening with every heartbeat. Strange, that seemed to now roar in his ears…Ezio wasn't sure if he Apple was reacting to his order or something else entirely. So he repeated the name again, trying to reach for the artifact. It was just an inch too far away, however.

_Blasted thing! _

His strength failed him entirely now. He couldn't stop himself from falling onto his back completely. His head hitting the soft ground, his other hand clutched at his stomach, his fingers sticky and warm with blood…

The already murky sun was suddenly obscured. He forced his eyes to focus, but it didn't help. He did not know the man that now stood in front of him. All he managed to make out were the dark robes of a…monk? His mutilated hand reached for the artifact on the ground. "Who are you?" Ezio croaked, his breath rasping and harsh in his ears. _"No!"_ he realized exactly _what_ the man was doing, "Don't open it-"

With that, the sky faded out completely.

He was left lying on the mud beside Checco Orsi.

* * *

I felt the call - it was impossible not to. Both my intuition and the desperate screaming of the Apple seared through my mind like a whip, forcing my legs to move before I could even truly understood the direction. Leaving behind shocked Caterina and Niccolo, I didn't even see the gates of the citadel as I flashed underneath them. The houses and faces that appeared on the borders of in the sides of my vision blurred, all of them unimportant, irrelevant, unneeded.

_It's not too late, not yet. But if you don't run faster, it will be!_

How much faster _could_ this stupid body of mine run?

Fast enough, it appeared.

The gates were already in sight, and it was close enough that I could feel the pain that pulsed through his body, all beginning in his side. He was carried by two of Caterina's men into the city. Arguing between each other, they were too slow, likely new recruits, unable to move any faster with the heavy body of my fiancé.

"Put him down!" I bellowed just as I hit the breaks only an inch away from them. They flinched, staring at me in bewilderment, likely wondering where I came from. I didn't have time for explanations, however. "Put him down, and get a fucking doctor!" The obeyed, somehow not questioning my authority to order them around. Ezio was lowered down onto the stone road in front of the gates. I absently noted people coming out of their houses to watch like vultures.

"You must think this is funny, you _idiota_," I growled under my breath as I searched for the wound. I found it quickly along his right side, his robes stained with the sickening scarlet that I knew was his own. There was nothing in it, so he must have pulled it out himself when he was conscious. It only served to allow the blood to flow freely. "Going to get yourself killed like an unskilled and arrogant Templar!" I hissed, my now bloody fingers brushing his cheek, "Do you not see the irony?"

People that heard me must have thought me insane, talking to dying, unconscious man. But I was far beyond caring.

I pushed ripped away the fabric and belt that got in the way, slicing away his sash as well with my dagger. Searching through my bag with one bloodied hand for something to stop the bleeding, the other tried to hold the broken dam of blood. There were hurried footsteps, a whistle, and someone crouched beside me. The doctor, I think.

"Get something to stop the bleeding, now!" I roared, having no luck myself as my hands were now covered up to my elbows in blood. "He can't lose anymore blood!"

"I know that better than you, so please, calm yourself," the doctor snapped, already taking out the needed things out of his own bag.

"If you don't do something _NOW,_ I swear to god, I'll send you to hell faster than he gets there!"

* * *

"Eden..."

I did not respond at first, drawing a deep breath before looked up to Adel. Her eyes were red, contrasting with their usual icy blue, and she was constantly sniffing, though there were no tears. I must have looked little better at that moment.

She gently came a step closer, and put her hand onto my head, stroking my hair in comfort. I attempted a smile, but it failed. "I'm really sorry," she surprised me by saying.

"What do you have to be sorry about?" I furrowed my eyebrows, "There was nothing we could do...perhaps if I went with him, I could have helped him sooner. But, what's done is done," I swallowed. I looked bitterly at Ezio, who lay quietly on the bed. Even in his sleep, his expression was still one of pain, but he made no noise.

"I threw a knife at Checco," she suddenly spilled out. I glanced at her with surprise. "I hit his elbow...and completely by accident! But maybe if I accidentally hit his leg, he wouldn't have run away so fast...or I could have killed him, and we would have avoided all of this-" she babbled, her words coming faster and faster as she suddenly gulped for air.

I stared at her with shock for a long moment, and then let out a very quiet groan. Pulling her onto my knees, I held her blond head to my chest tightly, soothing her hair with a hand, "Adel, you are the strangest child I have ever met! You actually wish you could have killed him, just to save Ezio?"

"Yes," she stated bluntly, "To save Ezio and the Apple. And all the rest of the people that man could have hurt in the future. I wish I had been more useful than that..."

"Oh good lord," I let out a slightly hysterical chuckle, "Who the hell are we raising? Is this what my kids will be like? Then I am seriously starting to doubt letting my sister heal me!"

She stayed silent for a long, long time, her hands clutching my waist and her entire frame trembling slightly.

"Where is you sister?" she finally asked. I shifted my eyebrows together, but replied.

"Remember how I told you I time traveled into this century?"

She snorted skeptically, seeming to return to return for her old self for a little while. "Eden, I know I'm only ten, but I don't believe in fairy tales."

"I know you don't, but Ezio can back my words up. And Niccolo, Mario and Leonardo believe me..."

"Oh, alright," she allowed, though she didn't sound particularly convinced. "But your sister..."

"Mmm, yes...Eve. She's on the other side of the world, if you forget the entire time difference..."

"Eden and Eve," she tried the combination together, "Like the Bible story?"

"Yes... I guess so. Except I doubt my mom knew that Eden was a real place and Eve's Apple is out there. Then again, maybe she did," I sighed.

We sat like that for a long time, quietly talking about everything and anything, just to distract ourselves. I recounted all my memories of my family, answered every question she asked, and in turn she remembered her mother, who she loved so much as a child, but grew colder as the years went by. After falling silent for a bit, she then told me she no longer missed any of her life; the only one she could think of as guardians now were Ezio and me. Now, the only thing she wanted was to become and Assassin and save the world. It made me chuckle.

But when I finally grew quiet again, she suddenly said, "Eden...I really want to learn how to use a weapon."

I didn't reply, unsure what to do. Then I just let out a pent up breath of resignation. "Fine. When we go to Monteriggioni again, I'll, well, we're going to start."

"Promise?" She didn't seem to expect the agreement, moving slightly away to look at my face with suspicion. I laughed quietly, and then nodded. She threw her arms around my neck, kissing my cheek happily. "Finally!"

"Alright, alright - here, go find the kitchen at ask for some food. Your stomach is grumbling so loudly it's going to wake the entire house up."

She, likely not wanting to wait for me to change my mind, almost shot out the door. I followed her with my eyes, biting at my lip slightly. Frankly, there wasn't much else to do but accept the inevitable.

I stood up and stretched, allowing the blood to rush to my legs, and then stood for a moment, thinking. My gaze fell to Ezio, and I felt a little ill again as I looked at his pained, pale face. On impulse, I carefully sat down beside him, stroking the stray hair out of his face gently. Damn, I suddenly felt exhausted. Which was probably why I began talking to myself. Or maybe, I needed him to know that I was still here.

"You really made us all worry, Ezio," I murmured, maneuvering myself so that his head rested in my lap. "There's stuff to do, how can you just lie there, hm?"

"I don't think he can hear you."

I didn't turn around, easily recognizing the voice. But I barely even had the energy for emotion. "Better than talking to thin air."

Caterina walked to the foot of the bed, placing her hands neatly on the frame. "You poor girl..."

"That came out of nowhere," I bit, "With all due respect, speak sense, will you?" It came out a bit more coldly than I intended. To be frank, I really didn't care.

"You're in love with him," she stated the fact bluntly.

I threw my eyes up in shock. Whirling to look at her, I was prepared to send a barrage of retorts her way. However, her expression caused me to freeze. For there was nothing but pity in her gaze. Yet, even despite my exhaustion, I was suddenly infuriated again. "If that is news," I snapped, not caring that I addressed a duchess. And that technically, she could have me killed with a snap of her fingers. That is, if her guards were fast enough. They rarely were... "Then you're late by about two years."

"You realize he is one of those men that will use you and leave?"

"Oh, he hasn't left so far. Not matter how much I attempted to drive him away, at least at first." _Is that triumph in my voice...?_

"Then you must be that good," she calmly replied. I almost snarled at that, pulling my lips apart to bare my teeth aggressively.

"He wouldn't have proposed to this 'poor little girl' if he simply thought that."

"Did he?" That seemed to be some surprise to her, though she hardly showed it. No one but Leonardo knew of the proposal. Not to mention, no one aside from the two of us knew of my agreement.

"Yeah, imagine that."

She stared at me for a long time, and then the corners of her lips pulled up in a controlled smile. "Do you really want marriage?" I was dole out a verbal assault of sorts. But she plunged onward before I could interrupt. "In my experience, it either ruins everything. Or it's only a means of gaining power. Men turn into _unbelievable_ assholes as soon as it's done and signed," she muttered, hands clutching at her sides, "No matter their promises to the contrary."

Suddenly, I felt a pang of sympathy, for I had to remember that this wasn't my time. Women of her stature were almost always pawned off by their fathers to the man most likely to bring wealth and regard to the family at large. Their daughters simply a means to end, love served no purpose for them. "I didn't want it at first," I calmly replied, turning away from her, giving her the chance to compose herself. After a few moments and judging from the sounds of rustling behind me, she was taking a seat at the foot of the bed. "But he…convinced me. I'm not a noble, don't forget. Rather, an Assassin, just like him-"

"You really think you're so similar?" she cut me off, though it was more of a statement. I had a feeling the Lady of Forli rarely asked questions, so used to tossing out orders and having them immediately followed. Questions were for the weak and wavering, those unsure of their position in the world. Weakness is what got you killed. A sad, but true fact people learned sooner or later... and it's their luck if it's earlier than too late.

"Why wouldn't I be?" I snorted, my patience wearing thin. " My death count is the same, if not longer than his, our abilities are almost completely equal. I can keep up with him." The assumed "-_unlike you." _hung in the air. "So just please... back off. I know what I'm doing, and I don't need your pity or patronizing."

She looked at me with a bit more respect this time. Then she just shrugged her shoulders elegantly, moving to her feet as the doctor arrived.

I think the only reason she didn't look worried was because neither the doctor nor I showed any concern for Ezio's health, once he was all stitched up and bandaged. I remembered how fast he healed, and knew that some little wound in his stomach would only keep him back for a few weeks, at most. The doctor simply made sure he was stable, but said to call him again if anything happened.

What worried us more, however, was the absence of the priceless artifact he was supposed to retrieve...

"Is there still no sign of the Apple?" I asked tiredly, changing the subject after the doctor left. Ezio slept through the doctor dressing his wound. In a small way, I was glad of it, as there was no anesthesia quite yet.

"Niccolo went out with the search party hours ago, but I fear there is nothing to find," Caterina furrowed her brow, drumming her finger along the wall she stood next to the doorway. "My men did not remember seeing anything beside him except for that _culo_ Orsi's body."

"Then we are in deep shit," I stated, my voice monotone. Caterina gave a small nod in agreement, and left the room without another word. I looked back to Ezio, sighing as I realized that his expression softened slightly under my caresses. And after a moment of thought, I suddenly broke into hysterical giggles, hiding my face in my hands as I laughed. "Jesus, Ezio... You almost died for it, and it's all for nothing." He didn't stir, though I was grateful for it, the words flying from my lips before I could stop myself.

"You're lucky you're unconscious, _bello__. _Because when you wake up, God you're going to get it..."

* * *

_There were many dreams... of different people. I didn't recognize the names, and I did not know their faces, but there they were... There was no order, no pattern. Lords and peasants, men and women of all ages, useless village idiots and recognized veterans. Some I felt a blood connection to, while others were strangers. Were these my ancestors? Or was it a simple coincidence? I didn't know..._

_There was a memory of a beautiful ball, where people dropped, grasping at their throats as the poison sunk in. There were dungeons and torture chambers and painful strikes. In a few of the flashes they held someone else in their arms and cried in either joy of birth or grief of death... There's a little girl being burned at the stake for her mother's sins, and there a thief hiding and protecting his treasures._

_I'm watching. It's almost fascinating, the beautiful and strange stories my dreams told. As if I have read a thousand masterfully written novels. I never had dreams like these. Mine were nightmares tied to my unclosed past. But those were long since gone... so who were these people I dreamed of...?_

_The only thing that connected them, like a needle and string moving through hoops was a golden necklace they treasured more than their own lives..._


	42. Chapter 41

Ezio woke up with a start, though he quickly relaxed, carefully wrenching his thoughts into reality, and trying to access his general situation and position. It all came to him rather slowly, much to his frustration.

Okay. Things he was completely sure of, he began to reel off in his head; there was a big dull pain in his side, something tightly encased his stomach, and his head hurt like hell. Furthermore, he was on a bed. In a warm room. With a fire crackling somewhere nearby. And even breathing beside him.

"You're awake!" Eden stated happily. He also quickly realized that she must have noticed the change in his breathing. He opened his eyes, and turned his head slightly, still feeling very fuzzy. "Hm...I've seen corpses looking better than you..."

"Eden, go to hell," he muttered in response, really not feeling up to her jokes. The woman was sitting in the armchair beside his bed, looking rather cozy with a book in her hands. "Can't a man die in peace.?" he groaned before letting out a snarl of pain as he attempted to sit up.

"Like I'd let you," she let out a carefree laugh, putting away her book and getting to feet, hovering over him with an inquisitive look. "But to tell the truth, you really don't look like someone who has just been to death's door, rang the doorbell and ran back."

He didn't bother to ask what she meant, understanding the gist of it. "And you don't look like you're grieving for my near-death at all," he noted. It was true, for there were no circles under her eyes, her hair was still carefully brushed and braided, and her skin all but glowed with health. She was biting her lips slightly, but aside from that, no change. Mouth curling with annoyance, he snorted, "It's like you really don't care-"

"Don't be an idiot," she rolled her eyes and quickly cut him off, her hand flying to his forehead. Despite his irritation, he found himself leaning into her touch as she checked for any potential fever. If he had one, it meant that the wound had become infected. Thankfully, he felt the right temperature, if slightly warm. "The doctor said you'd wake up within the week, though I know you heal faster than us mere mortals. I had a few days to sleep properly once you were stable."

"A few days? Wait!" He was made a move to get up, but Eden forced him back down onto the bed, even as he shot her a stern grimace, "The Apple!"

"Yes," she sighed, "We sort of noticed it was gone. But you're still not well enough to move. So don't." As if backing up her words, he suddenly felt a shot of pain snap through his entire body, and he groaned. She nodded in satisfaction. "Don't worry, you're going to get an earful from me anyway."

"Looking forward to it," he groaned as she railed on.

"What the hell happened, Ezio? Checco was found dead, the bloody knife was between the two of you, and the Apple was nowhere to be seen. So I want to know how the hell you managed to almost get yourself killed _and_ lose the Apple at the same time!"

Ezio looked past her to the ceiling, trying to focus. He remembered the pain well, and the fall...a desperate call to Eden...and then?

"There was a man," he slowly began, "Wearing black monk robes."

Eden tensed slightly, a wrinkle appearing on her forehead, "And?"

"He took the Apple. And I think…? Yes, he was missing a finger-"

"A monk with a missing finger?" Eden repeated thoughtfully, only to shake her head. "I'll ask around on the streets. Meanwhile, you should talk to Caterina about it; perhaps she knows where he could have come from. But I'm not letting you go anywhere in this state," Eden told him sternly with a voice that deprived him of all hope in getting up too soon. So he just sighed, and tried to get more comfortable.

"Where is Caterina?"

Eden shrugged, "It's the middle of the night, _caro_. Like all proper ladies, she's sleeping and viewing wonderful dreams." After a moment, she added, "She was worried, though. Well, we all were."

"What happened?" Ezio asked tiredly, suddenly curious as to how he even came to be here.

"I felt the artifact calling for help. I…I don't know how you did it, but it was as though it was screaming in my ear. One of Caterina's patrols found you, and I met them at the city gates. But those idiots didn't think to stop the bleeding, so..." She stuck her tongue out with distaste or irritation.

"So?"

"Well, the doctor and I put up a rather bloody performance in the middle of the street," she winced. "Anyway, with our combined efforts, we managed to bring you back to the land of the living. You might have a few bruises on your back from the way Caterina's guards dropped you, though. Not to mention, I was worried you'd pick up a cold or something."

"A cold!" He couldn't hold the chuckle, feeling a rush of affection towards her. "I was almost stabbed to death, and you were worried I'd get sick?"

"I was more worried about repercussions than the actual wound," she explained, smiling. "But you were born lucky. Since his stiletto was too thin to do much damage, he missed your spine and barely brushed an organ. So a cold was about the worst thing you could walk away with."

He closed his eyes, and brought a hand up to his face, rubbing the sleep out of his eyes. There was almost an unusual amount of hair on his chin, he noted absently. "I admittedly did not expect him to stab me."

"Well obviously. If you expected it, I don't think you'd be in this situation," she gently stroked his hair off his forehead. "Well, after all the people you killed, I think it was only a matter of time. Sorry I didn't have a nightdress to put you into, though." He realized what she was talking about after a moment, and chuckled.

"Oh, by the way, you have a beard now," she informed him with a grin.

"Hm, yes, I thought it felt...hairier than usual." She shook with laughter as he continued to thoughtfully rub at his chin, like some school teacher deep in throes of his philosophical musings. "I'll shave as soon as you let me get up."

"Nah, keep it. It suits you. Makes you look less like a carefree teenager, and more like the awesome assassin you are."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"That you're old." She didn't stop grinning.

"Oh, ouch, _bella!_"

"You definitely smell like an old man, too. So how about instead of shaving, you take a bath?"

"Your words, they sting me where it hurts…perhaps you can join me in the bath to salve my wounds?" he waggled his eyebrows suggestively.

That idea was certainly made of _lots _of potential win, and it was good that he didn't appear too traumatized by his recent near-death experience. Eden looked thoughtful for a moment, but then shook her head. "Perhaps we can take a rain check on that?" she demurred.

"A what?"

"We'll save that for later," I waved.

"A pity," he frowned. "Can I at least sit up?"

She narrowed her eyes, evaluating. "Fine. But if the stitches open up, it's on your conscience."

"Oh...and about that monk-?"

"I promise, we will begin to search immediately," she assured him. "Niccolo already left Forli, but we'll send messages to the rest of the Brotherhood to watch for him. And I'll ask Adel to ask around the streets."

"Adel?" he raised an eyebrow as he carefully sat up, with Eden's help.

"She knows how to search," she replied mysteriously, "And I think some practice will do her some good, since she's already tired of sitting in one spot all the time. Don't worry, he won't get away from us. Though, you know…" She suddenly looked away to the wall thoughtfully, chewing on her lip, "I think there was a monk back there."

"What do you mean?" he furrowed his eyebrows. She looked thoughtful.

"Remember when the Orsi threatened to kill Bianca and Ottaviano if we didn't hand over the map and Apple? Did you notice anyone else?"

"I was sort of distracted."

"I figured. There was a monk in black robes passing by. That's when he must have heard that we have, or rather _had_ the artifact."

They sat in silence for a bit, unsure what else to say on the matter. Then Eden sighed, "You should get some rest."

"I've been sleeping for a few days now," he reminded her, though he did feel strangely tired.

"A coma isn't considered sleeping," she smiled, getting up. But he nearly snatched her wrist, preventing her from leaving. "I was just going to get you some food."

"Ask someone else to bring it," he muttered, nearly ordering her.

But she didn't mind the latter. For she understood his intentions, and melted. "I missed you too," she reassured him, leaning down to kiss his lips gently, and then looking into his eyes. "But if you're going to feel lonely, I could go wake Caterina up," she smirked.

"Well, I wouldn't say no to that, either..."

She straightened out and snorted, freeing her wrist from his grip. "Actually, I think it's best if I send Adel in."

"Still jealous?"

"Of what? As far as I remember, the figurative ring is on my finger, and not hers."

"Figurative?"

"Well, there's no actual ring," she waved her left hand where the only thing on her ring finger was the burnt seal. "So yes, 'figurative.' But that's nothing to do with it. Adel took your injury...hard," she frowned.

"Why is that?"

"She threw a knife at Checco as he was leaving with the Apple."

After a moment, realization hit Ezio. "So that's where the bandage on his arm was from..."

"She thinks that if she had managed to kill him, or at least hit one of his legs or something, this could have been avoided."

"But that's silly!" he insisted, "She's only ten years old, and we didn't expect her to-"

"I know, and I've been telling her that. But," she sighed. She continued to chew on her lip with a vacant expression. "I'm really not sure how to react to all this. Like you said, she's only ten, and it should bother me that she really wanted to kill that man."

"But you aren't bothered?" he raised and eyebrow. Slowly, she shook her head.

"Surprisingly, I'm proud. Mostly because she didn't do it just because she didn't like him, but because she wanted to save the Apple. She seemed to have really accepted the 'sacrifice for the greater good' part."

"She'd make a great assassin one day, you know," he carefully told her. "Don't look at me like that; I'm not just coming back to the old argument, I mean it."

"I know." After a pause, she sat back down, except this time on the edge of the bed, nearer to him. "Like I said, I'm not sure how I should be feeling about this anymore. On one hand, she has talent and potential. Not to mention, her observation skills are far from the worst. But on the other, she's only a child, no matter how much she denies it. God knows that I have first-hand experience with what's it's like to be robbed of a valid childhood," she swallowed.

Ezio shifted slightly, meeting her gaze. "Do you remember the Assassin compound in the twentieth century?"

"Kind of hard to forget."

"They began teaching children as soon as they could walk and talk. And I assume that is how Masyaf functioned, as well."

"Oh, I was thinking about that, actually," she stopped frowning, and chewed a bit on her nail. "We have a fortress and everything, too. We're all set. While we're looking for this monk, I, well, I think we should pay some more attention to Adel's training."

"So you've finally made up your mind?"

She nodded, and let out a heavy breath. "I've already made her a promise we'd look into weapons. It's time to get serious. She's not going to go anywhere, and we can't put her at this much risk. And you're right, she would be a great help in a few years. Now, how about you get some rest? Otherwise the healing will just take longer."

* * *

"Hey, wait!"

Adel turned around rather angrily. "You have to be joking."

"You weren't very polite to me, you know," the boy stopped beside her.

"Forgive me, _monsieur_, I did not mean to sound rude," she let the French honorific slip in without even noticing. There was a time her mother made her repeat them to the point of making her teeth chatter with annoyance. But she rarely actually used them while speaking Italian. "But should you not remain inside?"

"I'm simply going out to take a walk, no one forbids me that," Cesare turned his nose up higher. Adel didn't reply, and just continued to walk.

"I have work to do, so go play somewhere else," she shrugged her shoulders, already searching the streets with her eyes.

"Why can't you be a normal child?" Cesare asked lowly and almost hopelessly. She didn't reply, save a dismissive snort in his direction, though she sped up her pace.

She suddenly grinned and turned back, squinting over the boy. He was likely known around the city, but he was not dressed in clothes that stood out too much. Adel quickly decided he could serve as a rather nice prop, along with his sister. "Actually, let's play a game! Bianca!" she called over to the girl who was just walking out the doors. Bianca looked over with a raised eyebrow, coming closer. "Do you want to play tag?"

The two siblings glanced at each other, shrugged, and then bobbed their heads at her. Adel already ran up to Cesare, however, slapping his shoulder and loudly yelled "You're it!"

With that, she grabbed Bianca's hand, and made a run for it down the street. To her satisfaction, she heard the boy follow her after only a few moments of confusion. She mercifully allowed him to keep up as Bianca and her trailed through the main street.

However, Adel soon crashed at full speed into a rather heavy-set lady, who was just leaving a fruit stand with a basket. The woman squeaked, and but kept her balance, looking around wildly.

"Oh! I'm so sorry!" Adel opened her blue eyes wide, rubbing her forehead, "I didn't notice you!"

When the lady realized who it was that almost made her spill her bought apples, and saw that it was not a thief or a hooligan, she melted slightly. "It's alright dear, just be careful with your games!"

Adel nodded enthusiastically. "Here you go," she quickly collected all the stray apples that fell to the ground, rubbing them against her shirt and returning them to the woman, smiling as sweetly as she could. Bianca looked at her without much understanding, but made no move to help out. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to spill anything."

"It wouldn't be your fault, we're all jumpy after all the horrors," the woman gasped dramatically. Cesare caught up to Adel at that moment, and looked up to the lady with curiosity. "At least the kids are still enjoying their games."

"I heard there were cannons firing and five hundred men got into the city!" Adel blurted out, Jabbing Cesare with her elbow, he finally caught on, nodding like an idiot who only heard exaggerated tales.

Bianca decided to put in her penny's worth, and chirped with an awed voice, "Lot's of the people got away though. And then the Lady of Forli chased them out!"

"There was some brave man though, didn't you hear?" Adel told the woman in a low, secretive voice. "A monk - with only nine fingers! Luca said he saw everything and then disappeared!"

The woman gasped again and drew a huge cross over her body. "Those rascals, they should fear the Lord - a monk! Well, run along now, and be careful with your games!"

Adel grinned largely, using the full force of her charm to hide the disappointment. But she didn't lose hope. As soon as the woman turned away, Cesare tried to tag her back, but she slipped from his reach, leaving the two siblings to catch up, and continued the "game"...

"Nothing!" Adel finally found Eden later that day by the pigeon coop, on the roof beside the house where Caterina Sforza, her children, and (temporarily) the Assassins resided. "No one heard or seen a monk with only nine fingers..."

"I'm almost not surprised," Eden cocked her head slightly as she let another bird go, watching as it flew up, and then somewhere to the Northwest. "I asked around too," she declared, "Thieves, courtesans and mercenaries paid no attention. Monks never have anything to steal, they're bound by their vows of chastity, or whatever and are collectively pacifists. Oh well, there's got to be something. We shall look further as soon as Ezio's on his feet again. Oh-" Eden threw her braid over her shoulder and grinned brightly at Adel, leading her back inside. "Good job today. You really saved us all a lot of time in questioning the civilians. So tell me, did you decide to make an exception from the rules for Caterina's children?" she glanced at her, laughter obviously dancing in her eyes.

Adel blinked. "Eden, they were useful in creating the image, that's all."

Eden suddenly lost the smile, and Adel immediately felt slightly ashamed for some reason. The woman just sighed with reproach, but said nothing, going back inside.

* * *

"Just stay still," I advised Ezio, carefully peeling off the bandages. They didn't come off easily, and Ezio's fingers flexed, but he made no sound. "Hmm, fascinating."

"Thanks," he replied as I threw the old bandage away, and examined the wound. "Though I really wish you'd feel that much admiration for my rather well-formed muscles," he smirked, "Or do you think I insist on running all over the rooftops just for fun?

"These muscles?" I grazed my hand over his stomach, satisfied to hear his breath catch in his throat. His eyes beginning to burn with a familiar fire, I simply continued with the examination. Knowing that while he was healing, teasing was as far as I could go. Then I suddenly frowned, "What the hell-"

I brought my fingers towards the side that was injured, sliding my hand over the skin. Ezio shivered under my touch, muscles flexing even more. But I was currently more interested in the fact that his wound was now nothing more than a shallow reminder of the deep hole it used to be.

"How fast do you heal?" I probed at the stitches gently, making sure it was not just my eyes playing tricks on me.

"What's wrong?" he asked, raising an eyebrow.

"What's wrong is that you are almost completely fine by the end of two weeks! The doctor said it could take two months to heal a wound that deep."

"A fortnight is a long time," Ezio muttered, and I looked up at him with surprise as I noted a hidden meaning in that. He was watching me closely, his eyes tracing over my lips, trailing down to my neck and further down. I felt a small spasm, my own breath now fluttering past my lips. For when he looked at me like that, I felt as though I was not only being undressed, but also ravished and devoured. Not at all an unpleasant feeling, coming from him...

_I guess two weeks _are _a long time then, especially for you. _I noted absently. _When was the last time? Five centuries into the future?_

"Don't even think about it," I breathed out to him. He almost looked hurt for a moment.

"And why not?"

"I'm mad at you." I growled without much sincerity.

"No you aren't," he easily caught my wrist as I tried to shove his hand off of me, "What have I done to deserve your wrath?" It was not lost on me that he'd swiftly drawn my hand up to his mouth, lightly pressing his lips to my fingertips in supposed innocence.

_You charming bastardo! _"Oh, so nearly getting yourself killed is just an irrelevant detail?" I shot back. Yet I didn't release myself from his hold.

"You won't let me forget that, will you?" He leaned forward, catching my waist, and sent me toppling over him. Of course he saw through my bluffing...he always did. Not to mention that he was very unlikely to stop just because of a hole in his stomach and my stubborn defiance.

"You wouldn't stop moaning after I faked my death for almost a year!"

"Your own fault," he grinned. "You were so adorable in your apologies that I couldn't resist." His breath caressing my neck as he settled me on top of him, he lightly nipped at my collarbone. I let out an involuntarily moan, feeling him smile against my skin, "Much like I can't resist ravishing my beautiful fiancé now."

"Flatterer!" I exclaimed, still trying to push away from him, but with much less enthusiasm. "Silver-tongued charmer... gah, would you stop?"

"Why should I?" he glanced up at me with raised eyebrows, "I really want to see how many more names you can come up with..."

I humphed, ignoring the last statement. "Because I said so!"

"Hmm," he pretended to think about it, tracing circles into my shoulder blades, his hands already high up beneath my undertunic. "I'm really sorry, _amore_, but that's really not a valid argument," he sighed with supposed concentration. Even as his nimble fingers undid the front lacings of my bodice in record time, pulling apart its bindings with practiced ease, "Can you please give me a legit reason for your stubbornness?"

_How about my dignity? Wait, hands...BAD HANDS! DOWN! I DIDN'T TELL YOU TO DO THAT!_

_Yeah, well, screw you, brain._

It wasn't fair. So many times I tried to fight with him, just for the sake of screaming and breaking plates to blow off some steam. And each time he saw right through me. All it took were a few calm, teasing and flirting remarks, a few kisses and touches. We nearly always ended up in the nearest bedroom within moments (or closet, whatever was closer). Then all was forgiven, the past, the present and the future, and we were once again completely happy with our existence. Lucky bastard. If he ever allowed me to work myself up properly, he'd be in for a fury the likes of which he'd never seen. But all he needed to do was say the right thing to have me eating out of his hands.

He had me wrapped around his finger so tightly, sometimes I wondered, _Why I was so convinced he loved me?_

My brain finally whirred, gave out an error, and took an alternative route.

To hell with holding out on him just for the sake of being stubborn...I turned things around as I finally leaned in towards him, and harshly bit down on the small, sensitive spot behind his ear. His hold on me tightened, and I felt his moan vibrate through his throat. Shoving him by the shoulders, I nearly forced him back down to the bed. But he needed little convincing. As soon as I gained back some control and won back my dignity, I could finally allowed my brain to shut itself off with a clear conscience. Settling into his embrace more comfortably promptly ended my resistance.

Then I entertained myself with the thought that I had the same power over him that I could use at any time. Not to mention, even after nearly three years, we were still somehow not bored by each other, but craving the contact just as much as we did the very first time...

* * *

We abused Caterina's hospitality for only a week longer. It was enough for Ezio heal almost completely, his wound all but closing before my eyes. Though the doctor was amazed at it, he still warned to be careful for the next few weeks. Aside from that, he was good to travel again. Ezio was ecstatic at the fact, announcing by week's end that we'd wasted enough time, and we had to hunt down the Apple immediately.

No one argued with that, of course.

Adel showed some surprising skill in maneuvering through the streets. Questioning people so cleverly that they never even realized what she was getting into, she eventually dug up the directions to the monastery beside Forli. Unfortunately, it was nothing new, for Caterina already suggested we start searching there. Nonetheless, the girl was doing her job well.

"Ezio, I have something for you," Caterina said with an alluring smile, holding out folded parchments. We were saying our goodbyes just outside the city gates, the horses already saddled.

I shivered slightly in the cold breath of the wetlands, running my fingers through the mane of the gray horse. Frassino just closed his eyes halfway in satisfaction. I liked the horse nicknamed "Ash," even though I really didn't know much of horses. But even I could tell he was a good horse. Somehow, I got the feeling that I wouldn't have to get rid of him any time soon, like I had to with skittish, irritable Honey, who received her unoriginal name shortly before we left for Venice.

We got the horses as thanks for helping defend the city. Even though we offered to pay, Caterina made a slightly hurt joke that two horses would not empty the city coffers. I sighed lowly, jumping up to the saddle where Adel was already sitting, waiting for Ezio to finish up the goodbyes.

"It's the map Niccolo spoke of. Your husband's-" Ezio unrolled the parchments and looked through them.

"Ex-husband," she swiftly corrected him. "He swore he'd uncovered the locations of all the Codex pages. In the meantime, you will recover the Apple," she assuredly said, "But and you will never find the Vault without this."

"So it's another thing added to our to-do list," I noted lightly, "Aside from hunting down Templars and the monk that stole the Apple-"

"Don't forget the more personal points," he reminded me, and I grinned.

"Yes, we also have to find time for that wedding. Frankly, I'd really rather not wait until one of us dies."

Adel fidgeted, trying to look at me with an expression of surprise, and Caterina pointedly ignored the reference. "Good luck to you," she nodded, "And if you find yourself in Forli again, my offer of hospitality still stands. Now go - find that _stramaledetto_ monk."

"I think I'm going to miss you," Ezio laughed as he took her hand and kissed her fingertips in the standard, apparently chaste sign of goodbye. I didn't bother to hide my expression, shooting him a slightly sour glare, while Caterina just smiled confidently.

The Abbey was only half a day journey from Forli, moving further into the wetlands. Our horses didn't particularly like the muddy roads. But since they were already used to it, we didn't spend too much time talking them into it. The roads were crowded again, people still returning from the city. Most of them looked to prefer to lay low in the surrounding villages before they'd come back to the damaged city walls. To tell the truth, I'm not sure why they even bothered going back to reclaim their half-sunken houses...

Ezio looked confident enough in the saddle. Guiding the horse easily, he didn't find it necessary to tug on the reigns, directing the sandy steed with light jabs of his heels. I was eying him cautiously, but he showed no discomfort, and I soon calmed down.

"Do you really think we'll find anything in that Abbey?" I asked out loud after about ten minutes of the journey. "I mean, we don't have much to go off of, except for the finger. Not many people stare at other's appendages and fingers long enough to notice a missing pinky finger."

"Let's hope there is someone there who does, then." Ezio chuckled grimly. "But if not, he still has the Apple. I doubt he is simply going to keep it on display. Chances are, he's going to try to use it. If this trail goes cold, we simply have to wait until he gives himself away, now don't we?" His tone was low and cold, and I felt Adel shiver violently.

The atmosphere was nothing like the warm nights and mornings when we quietly talked and bantered, among other things. Right now we were back in business, following a trail to a walking dead man. There was almost nothing but determination in our wake, and I had no doubts we were going to find the man who stole the Apple from us. Even if it took years, we would track him. And when we found him, we would not spare him. It would simply be too dangerous to do so.

"What if he's with Borgia?"

"The thought crossed my mind, but no, I don't think so," Ezio replied. "Templars are very loud and overconfident; they wouldn't eavesdrop and steal without sending a clear message."

"You're right," I nodded, "So it must be someone from the side with his own agenda…_awesome,_" I sarcastically added. At least with Templars, we had some idea of what we were getting into. Someone who was essentially chaotically neutral? Well, that'd certainly be harder to read.

"I just wish we knew what it was. It would make this easier, instead of searching through this haystack in search of a needle." I shared his feelings completely.

The Abbey was a tiny little monastery standing on top of a hill. The atmosphere was just as gloomy as in Forli, not helped at all by the gray walls and the monks ambling it about as though dressed for a funeral. They did indeed wear black robes, like the man we were looking for. Most also wore their hoods up against the sticky fog, concealing their faces.

"This isn't going to do," I muttered, dismounting and jumping down to the ground, leading the horse with Adel still mounted. Ezio followed suit. "They all look as if they're going to avoid us like the plague."

"So what do you suggest? Coming up and kicking the door in? And when their peace is disrupted and they can't ignore us any further, asking the first angry monk that comes out to figure out what the hell we're doing here?" he raised a skeptical eyebrow, but not for long. Especially as he heard my thoughtful silence. "Hey, Eden! I was just kidding!"

But I was already up the steps and at front of the door, knocking against it with my fist. For a long moment there was no reply. Then a little window opened and a pair of small, dark glaring eyes looked out.

"_Signore_, you wouldn't-"

"You've got nerve coming here, oh vessel of sin!" the monk spat, eyes widening with anger and healthy hint of fear. Well, at least he knew I'd likely kill him if I could. Then again, he continued with his accusations, as though suddenly not caring. "What is a woman in a ripe age doing in men's clothing in our Abbey? You should be sitting at home, with a child on your hands, a needle in your husband's clothes, and foot upon the spinning wheel!"

With all desire, I could not find an answer to that.

The man promptly slammed the window in my face. I looked with huge eyes to Ezio, who appeared torn between wanting to tear down the door to get to the joker, and laughing at my astonishment.

"Do you think they spend all their time thinking up speeches like that?" I grit, fingers flying to my dagger. With that, I drummed on the door again. This time, no one replied. "Hey! It's me, the sinful vessel again!" I snapped, "Can't we ask a freaking question around here? Open up or God as my _witness, _I'll take this Abbey apart stone by stone!"

"It's no use," Ezio sighed.

"Oh, we'll see about THAT, _messere__._" I was already throwing an evaluating glare over the stone construction. The few monks that were outside now rushed away, quite openly.

"I have no doubt you can do that," Ezio hurried to calm me down, "But it won't help matters... I think you offended his rather narrow-minded views."

"Well there's a first," I snorted, "I don't think I've ever offended someone so much with even saying anything. The hell? Considering the ruler of this land is a woman, you'd think they have a bit more respect. Or is this the politest way of saying 'Go away' he managed to come up with?" I grumbled. "Now what are we going to do?"

"Sit here and wait for someone to talk to us?" Adel offered with a small smile.

"Nah, it'll just take too long. Let's circle around the Abbey and then _you_," I poked Ezio's chest, "Can knock on the door. I think they'll be more willing to speak to you."

"Don't take it hard," he raised his hand to my hair. I ducked away from it as always, and raised my hood just in case he decided to repeat the gesture when I wasn't looking.

"Adel, wait with the horses," I instructed quickly, and she shrugged, petting Ezio's sandy mare.

Of course, a simple circle around the Abbey did not reveal anything interesting. Like the monk we were looking for crouched behind some crates, clutching the Apple. Much to both our disappointment, there were also no signs pointing in his general direction. Or pieces of paper labeled "My genius master plan that involves stealing the Piece of Eden from the Assassins".

The only unusual activity was two guards beating a man up. Though it really had nothing to do with us, we couldn't walk away. Because, you know, we just had to put our noses into it.

Ezio simply sighed, rolled his eyes, came up behind them and slammed both his hidden blades into their necks. They hit the ground like heavy sacks, dead in moments, as per usual.

"It's always something," I noted, coming closer. "Now, even if there was someone who'd talk to us, I guess you just scared them away."

"Are you alright, _Signor_?" Ezio helped the saved man get up, ignoring my jab. The monk's hood must have fallen down in the whole process. When he looked up I caught sight of blue, laughter-filled eyes within a pleasant face.

"_Si, grazie._..It's a rather usual occurrence." The man did not seem all that horrified at the two corpses at his feet. Perhaps those were the regular bullies that no one would miss. However, I didn't miss the thick, Irish brogue that lilted along in his Italian. _Well, that was certainly unexpected, _I mused.

I snorted, leaning onto the low stone fence. "This entire place seems a bit, shall we say, unwelcoming?"

"You must have met the doorman; he's not very fond of women. His loss, of course," the man smiled knowingly, despite being a monk. However, it left me amused rather than cautious. "Now, how can I help you?"

I snorted quietly, disguising it as a cough. How he managed to speak as if he was doing us a huge favor and setting us on the path of righteousness after we saved him from more bruises, I'd really never know. "We're looking for a monk who lacks one of his ten fingers," Ezio got straight to it, discretely elbowing my side.

"A finger?" The man raised his hand to scratch the back of his head in thought. "Well...Brother Guido has only nine toes. Are you sure it wasn't a toe?"

"Quite sure," Ezio shook his head, and I stifled a chuckle.

"And then there's Brother Domenico, but it's entire left arm he's missing..."

"Again, quite sure it was a finger." I put a hand on Ezio's arm, hoping to diminish his irritation. The monk didn't notice.

"Hmmm...now wait a moment! I do recall a black-robed monk with nine fingers." Both of us perked up at that. "Yes, of course, when we had our last San Vincenzo's feast at our abbey in Tuscany!"

Ezio nodded after a moment of thought. "Yes, I know the place. _Grazie_."

I knew the place, as well. A rather large Abbey of the Dominican monks by San Gimignano, where a certain Templar said his farewells to life for the conspiracy against Lorenzo de'Medici. Lovely, we should get a warm welcome there...

"Go in peace, brother. Sister," he inclined his head to me, as well, and I smiled in return.

"Always do. Come on, we're heading back to Forli." Ezio pulled on my hand. I was more than happy to follow.

The journey through the mountains took much longer than the very first time, likely because we were not sending our horses into gallop over burning bridges. Luckily, there were plenty of villages, so we never had problems with finding a place to eat and rest. The weather was rather cold during this time of year. I even mused that snow was likely going to fall early this autumn. It was still almost criminally warm though, at least in comparison to New York. So once we spent the night in some road-side ruins, there wasn't much discomfort.

We decided not to go through Florence on our way, but rather continue on to San Gimigano. Thankfully, we finally arrived almost a full day after passing Firenze.

* * *

"Unholy demon!"

_If I had a florin for every time someone yelled that in my face..._ Ezio thought, unamused.

"What's wrong?"

"You're the one who killed Brother Stefano!" _Huh?_ Then he realized what the terrified little man was talking about, and resisted the urge to slap his forehead. The man did not stop screaming, though. "Brothers! The killer of monks has returned! Run!"

"Oh for the love of-" Ezio could only swear as all of the monks present (about twenty of them) gave into panic and attempted to find a way out onto the street, yelling and trying to get away. He looked up to the heavens with reproach, and gave chase.

It was surprisingly as hard to follow the stampede of scared monks as it was to find an army of rabbits in a forest. They refused to pause their running for even a second, dashing side to side. The citizens likely had no idea what was happening, but enthusiastically joined in the chaos.

"What the hell is going on?" Eden appeared in the crowd, staring around with confusion. Suddenly, she reached out, and grabbed one of the monks' hoods, jerking him along as she marched up to Ezio. "And here I thought I was the one that scared monks away. Christ, Ezio, what did you do? March in there with your blade drawn, demanding blood?" She shoved the squeaking monk into him not at all gently.

"Please, no!" the monk whined, still kicking and fighting as Ezio grasped his collar. "I don't want to die!"

"I only kill those who kill others, and your Brother Stefano was a killer." _Three and a half sodding years ago._ "I'm sure you are no such thing. Now, listen to me," he waved in a vain attempt to calm the man down, "We're looking for a black robed monk who is missing a finger."

"Hurry up, the guards will come to investigate soon," Eden muttered, looking around the now-deserted street. Adel finally caught up with them, looking out of breath and slightly disgruntled. She was carried off by the stampede of fleeing crowds, and she did not look happy with such treatment.

"Missing a finger, you say? Do you mean...like Fra' Savonarola?" The man in his grip still looked terrified, but seemed to be slowly coming to the realization that we were not out for his life.

"Savonarola? Who is this? You know him?"

"I d-did," the monk stammered, "He was one of us. For a time..."

"And?"

"We suggested he retire to a hermitage for a good long time."

"I'm afraid to say his retreat has come to an end," Ezio declared. "Where would he have gone?"

"Oh dear..." Under Ezio's glare, the monk continued, "Santo Spirito, in Firenze. It's where he studied. Perhaps it's where he would return..."

"Thank you. Go with God, brother." Ezio finally let the man go, and he hurried away, as if barely believing his luck.

Eden followed him with her eyes, and then exchanged looks and nods with Ezio. "Firenze it is, then."


	43. Chapter 42

Firenze offered little answers when we arrived. However, I noted with near surprise that life was still the same as ever; peasants worked tirelessly on their fields, as it was nearing the end harvest season, and the citizens went about their daily business. No one but Ezio and I seemed to feel increasingly suffocating strangeness in the air. It was as though some sort of impending disaster was brewing that we had very little power to stop. But such was the burden of the Brotherhood. You were never blessed with the bliss of ignorance. Nor ever allowed to live a simple life, where one's biggest concern was the clothes on their backs, or where their next meal would come from.

_For in much wisdom is much grief; and he who increaseth knowledge, increaseth sorrow._ Years ago, I'd read those words in the codex, as penned by Altair's own hand. Yet, it seemed the old master rode right beside me, shaking his head with a sad smile as I was suddenly hit with the full force of his cathartic musings.

Brushing away increasingly uncomfortable feeling that I was being watched by the long-dead ancestor of the very real man next to me, I shot Ezio a glance. Thankfully, he didn't seem to notice, gaze searching for any potential trouble as we rode to the city gates. As we dismounted and left our horses at the stables, the smell of sand and citrusy palm fronds wafted under my nose. The scent was dry and heady, inexplicably reminding me of an endless, barren, desert plain. I swore I heard a distant, mocking laugh beside me…

_Shut-up, Altair!_

"What?" Ezio asked me as we passed beneath the fortified walls, now on foot.

I mentally swore, my hand finding the talisman that was buried deep in one of my pockets. Likely just the artifact playing more tricks on me. The sooner we got rid of it, the sooner I'd get a good night's sleep and finally stop having those damned hallucinations.

"Ehrm, nothing," I muttered, not realizing I'd spoken aloud. Ignoring Adel's curious expression, I steeled a grin onto my face, gesturing in front of us, "Firenze awaits, _si?"_

No one took note of us as we entered the city, two adults dressed in white and a child. They seemed to all but forget about the assassins, though I did catch sight of a few of the citizens doing a double take as we walked along the last remaining thread that could lead us to Savonarola.

Santa Maria del Carmine was on the other side of the river Arno, not far from the Palazzo de'Pitti. I'd never been in the Oltrarno district. Then again, it offered little more than the rest of the city, so I was not missing too much. The houses were perhaps a tad richer, but nothing more. Ezio took over at that, almost begging Adel and me to wait at the steps and not go anywhere. Oh, he should have known better by now - we just glanced between ourselves conspiratorially, and with innocent smiles told him not to worry.

* * *

Of course, we promptly wandered off. Hell, I still had a job to do, aside from all this search for the Apple. Adel wanted to watch me at it, keeping me to my word to follow through on her training.

"Adel, stay close," I called out to the girl, who was curiously looking at the facades on the walls. At my voice, she snapped out of it, catching up to me quickly.

"They're pretty," she informed me, and I chuckled as she added, "But Leonardo can do better."

"Oh, most definitely. I think after he designed an actually functional flying machine, he can do just about anything. "

"Where are we going?"

"To the underworld," I shrugged. She glanced at me with curiously widened eyes. "Just watch and learn, and I'll explain everything later."

She nodded readily, not asking any more questions. I left her to tail me behind me with clear instructions as I walked confidently through the less crowded alleys, waiting for my informants.

And they came.

"Give me your money!" Two shadows jumped out of nowhere in front and behind me, both brandishing blades that they aimed at my throat. I heard a small gasp of surprise from Adel, who was far enough away to only be noticed by me. She did not, however, run to rescue me. Previously, I strictly forbid her from ever doing something as stupid as trying to help an assassin before he was mortally wounded and unable to move any longer. And this was obviously not the case right now.

I didn't even think of getting scared or handing over my money, instead taking a stern position. "Finally! I've been walking in circles for an hour now, carefully jingling with coins!"

Well, they certainly did not expect that. After a confused pause, one of them lowered his knife slightly. Their faces were thoroughly concealed in the shadows, despite the early sunset. The weapon didn't even tremble in their hands, showing that the two robbers were not amateurs. Which meant they were likely professional purse-cutters and thieves. "Do we know you?" They were apparently rather polite too, despite threatening to end my life but a few seconds ago.

"Perhaps you've heard of me...are you Volpe's men?" They both gave a slow nod. "Do put those away, then. I get nervous and trigger-happy when pointy objects are pointed at my face."

"Who the hell are you?" the one behind me finally asked with exasperation,"...Signora?" he quickly added.

I let out a breath. "I don't suppose the name Eden Cleare tells you anything? Alright, then how about Auditore?"

There was pause. And then both of them speedily sheathed their daggers. So they had heard of me. Or at the very least. Ezio. Well, that made things much easier. In the underbelly of Italia, the information network was shared by all: whores, thieves, mercenaries, and of course, Assassins, who led all the factions. So I suppose its no wonder that the name was known.

"Marco and Aliano," one of them introduced himself, along with his colleague.

"Hmm. Adel, come here, it's alright now," I motioned for the girl, who was waiting at the mouth of the alley on the other end to come closer. Tentatively, she did, looking up at the robbers with curiosity rather than fright. However, she put a hand on my side, as if signaling that she was with me. "Gentlemen, hope you don't mind," I gestured at her, "Continuing with our lessons, Adel, thieves are an invaluable source of information, right along with courtesans and beggars."

"Beggars?" she cocked her head.

"Oh, yes. Easily overlooked, but they have good eyes and ears. Unless they're missing, of course," I nodded, and turned back to the thieves. "Now, is there information for sale today?"

"That really depends, Signorina," Aliano leaned onto the wall, smirking. "But I like that word - sale. How much are you willing to pay?"

"I need to find a man by the name of Vincesto Mortefarri. I know he is in this area."

They tensed slightly. "What did he do to you?"

"He's a spy for the wrong side," I coldly stated the verdict. "But if you really don't want to share, I can find another source..."

That turned their attitude around. "Well, there is a building...you know, one of those where they rent out rooms and corners, whatever people can afford. It's just down the street, you can't miss it."

"Smells worse than a dead sewer rat," Marco snorted, "You can check there."

I narrowed my eyes. "I _can_ check there, _or_ you can earn your coins and tell me where he is at this moment."

They glanced at each other. Noticing their hesitation, I held out my hand, shaking the coins slightly. They were gone in the next second, the two spilling everything, interrupting each other as they went. But from their over-excessive babbling, I managed to figure out the solid direction of the target. As well as the clothes he usually wore, his favorite tavern and the name of the prostitute he spent the night with yesterday...as well as a joke on the many diseases he could have contracted at that. And Madonna Cleare shouldn't worry herself, as he was going to kick the bucket any day now, even without my help.

I gave them a smile, nodding my head in satisfaction. "I imagine you missed at least two defenseless women taking a short cut through these alleys, so I won't keep you from your job any longer." They looked properly ashamed by that, one of them muttering they'd go roll over one of the men instead. I nodded in agreement, calling out, "Adel, let's go, we have an impostor to catch."

She was watching me work with a slightly open mouth, as if trying to follow and commit everything to memory. Though I think that she could read me entire lectures in some aspects of manipulation, especially the more dirty ones. I a bit scared to think what would become of her in a few years. _Which is why she needs proper training to root that right out, _I briefly thought to myself. An ill-formed instrument did no one any good. I knew that myself, in dealing with Larry's sadistic methods. Not to mention, no person deserved to be used as such. Adel would be an assassin, yes. But one with a solid sense of right from wrong and a will to choose between them.

"Oh, and gentlemen," I suddenly turned back to them, "Do keep a sharp eye out. I've seen at least two dozens of rather unfriendly people on the streets today."

The saluted me, walking out of the alley and down the street. I probably gave them more than enough money than they could manage to rob in a week, so their work has ended for now. I committed to memory the pub they were heading towards just in case I needed to go back.

"Where are we going now?" Adel asked, and I smirked.

"You were listening to the same story as me. So take a guess."

She brushed a hand through her hair, pushing locks behind her ears thoughtfully. "He headed north. North of here is the Signoria... that is more likely than the church on the way, so that's where he headed."

"Good. Let's go see if you're right."

"Wait, are you going to do it in public?" she stared at me with wide eyes. I rolled my shoulders.

"I don't see why not. A few ladies will get blood on their skirts and dramatically fall unconscious, giving me enough distraction to get away from the scene," I chewed on my lip thoughtfully. "Have you noticed? Those women never hit the floor...they either manage to station themselves near strong, brave men, or they carefully fall onto couches, trying not to crumple their dresses."

Adel giggled, and raised no more objections.

* * *

"Eden, Adel, let's go there is-" Ezio stopped short, and turned his head in all directions. Then sighed and rolled his eyes. "Of course I can't expect them to wait quietly. When do they ever?"

"Your cat goes where she pleases, yes?" the man beside him asked with a slight smirk.

"She belongs only to herself," Ezio confirmed, repeating her own words.

"I imagine marriage is going to be a little challenging."

"I am not even going to ask how you found out," he grumbled. Volpe simply chuckled. "But yes, you're right."

"You found yourself a truly special one, then. But, back to business."

"What business? Savonarola is not in this city. The trail goes cold," Ezio frowned, kicking a little stone that lay at his foot in frustration.

"Don't be so sure. He is certain to expose himself in one way or another. And when he does, we will be the first to know."

"I have no doubts in your abilities."

La Volpe looked up past his hood and to the sunlight, squinting his eyes. "Then go and find Eden. And I think it's best if you attend to Monterrigioni. I'm sure the paperwork is piling right up."

"Claudia takes care of the paperwork," Ezio automatically corrected him, but then noticed the laughing sparks in the man's violet eyes.

"I expect an invitation, by the way. It's been an age since I've been to a wedding... I believe your parents' was the last." Ezio arched a brow of disbelief, which only caused the thief to laugh aloud. "It shall be hard to top that affair, as many of 'my kind' were in attendance: thieves, courtesans, mercenaries. At your mother's insistence, no less. Which is how I knew from that moment that your father had found his match." Volpe gave a slight bow, "Madonna Maria is a woman without parallel…"

Before Ezio could summon a reply, the man took a step into the shadow of the alley, dissolving in it. Ezio stared after him for a long moment, and then sighed, wondering where Eden could have possibly went.

The answer came very suddenly in the form of Eden herself, who appeared out of nowhere, and ran straight into his arms. He reflexively flinched back, but then recognized her scent and her hair, immediately calming down. After another moment, he realized she was shaking, either with tears or laughter. "What's the matter?"

"Can't even do my job without-" was the only reply. Adel bounced up to them, laughing as she went.

"Should I ask-"

"All men are pigs!" Eden moaned into his shoulder.

"_Che cosa?_"

"Oh, that's right, you're a man too!" She took a step away from him and jabbed a finger into his chest, "Why are you such a pig?"

_Anger. She was shaking with anger..._"I apologize on the behalf of my gender," he gave a sweeping bow, which only seemed to cause her to roll her eyes, though Adel was chuckling behind them. "What happened?"

"The man she was trying to assassinate thought she was a courtesan," Adel told him with a huge grin, seriously enjoying the situation.

"Oh no." Ezio wasn't really sure how to react to that, "Will the poor misguided soul live?"

"Oh yes!" Eden replied in an overly cheerful voice, "His soul will continue its' miserable existence in the deepest bowels of hell. I hear it's very cold at this time, considering it just froze over!"

Ezio decided to bite. "Why is that?"

"Because he is the first fucking jackass to ever mistake me for a prostitute!...Adel, don't ever use the word 'fucking' until you're an adult, you hear? Like I'm glad the _fucking _target is dead!" She was seriously incensed at this. Ezio finally decided there was no point in being mad at a dead man, so he settled on amusement at Eden's wrath.

"You are such a beautiful woman, _mia cara!_ I'm sure it was an honest, and a very understandable mistake," he tried to soothe the fire at least a little. She simply snorted.

"Ezio, I love you not for your shameless flattery, but rather, in spite of it."

"I have more than shameless flattery at my disposal, though," he smoothly replied with a knowing grin, hands coming to her waist and pulling her closer, "I'm sure I can make you feel better in some way..."

"AHEM," Adel suddenly broke into a coughing fit. They looked at her simultaneously, "I don't need to see your two flirting."

"Then don't watch," Eden broke into a grin. "Where did you even learn that word?"

"Diana was cooing over how cute you two look," she grumbled, suddenly looking concentrated and focused on something. Ezio exchanged surprised looks with Eden. For the girl just witnessed an assassination, seemed perfectly fine after that, and then suddenly her laughter evaporated.

"What got you in such a bad mood,_ principessa_?" Ezio smiled, hand falling to her shoulder. Surprisingly serious considering her cheerfulness just moments ago, Adel pointed in the direction down the street. Both of them turned around with raised eyebrows, not really sure what to expect.

"What are they doing to the poor woman?" Eden furrowed her eyebrows, her voice suddenly a deadly quiet.

"Let's find out," Ezio nodded, and they moved towards the commotion.

* * *

"-you are a dirty little _puttana_, selling your body in such a manner, it's a disgrace! You are an abomination!" one of the lunatics was shouting, delivering a merciless kick to the courtesan's ribs.

"Please - someone...!" she gasped out, having already given up trying to plead with her attackers, and now begging the crowds. Women were passing by quickly with looks of fear, and men either stopped to watch, or simply didn't want to get involved.

There were three maniacs, all seemingly normal people off the streets and dressed as the middle class. What on Earth possessed them to beat a woman down like that?

Ezio and I sliced through them under ten seconds, putting a stop to their insanity. The panic in the crowd did not rise immediately; I think certain observers were thanking the gods that someone did something. I crouched beside the woman, but she had already gone limp. I was afraid we were too late, but I fortunately I could still feel her pulse flutter at her throat. "She's alive," I breathed, "But she won't be for long if I don't stop the bleeding."

"Can I move her?"

"Well, it won't make things any worse..."

Ezio bent down, and easily picked the woman up into his arms. I glared at the gathering civilians, most of whom were already looking for guards but didn't dare make a sound quite yet. "Cowards," I sneered under my breath, falling into step with Ezio. Adel caught up to us quickly, too.

"Where to?"

"Paola's brothel is too far away. As are the markets." I thought for a moment, carefully monitoring the woman's breathing. I didn't like it - it was labored and whistling, and she was grimacing with each movement. The bastards must have broken a few ribs. "Adel! Keep up! Damn, where are all the damned doctors when you need them?"

"In here, quickly!" a voice suddenly ushered us. I blinked, turning to the source. It was a large man, dressed and armored as a mercenary with an impressive axe in his hands. He was looking around cautiously, gesturing us to come inside the building he was standing on the steps of. We did not spare it too much thought, following him inside the building. It was a fairly large, but otherwise easily ignored house, no different from the ones around it.

"You beat us to it, and it seems like it's a good thing, too," the man guffed, leading us through the rooms.

We took full advantage of the hospitality, quickly putting the woman onto the nearest couch. I asked for some hot water, opened my bag, and set to work, instructing Adel as I went about explaining my actions. She no longer cared for the sight of blood, taking it as a given as she watched the process carefully.

"Two broken ribs, three bleeding wounds, bruising and perhaps a minor concussion," I muttered the diagnosis under my breath, unlacing her out of her dress, underskirts and bodice to get to tend to her wounds. "Ezio, get the hell out of here so we don't make the poor woman blush when she wakes up."

"She is a courtesan, _amore_. It likely takes more than that to make her blush," he reminded me. "But I should talk to the mercenary. Call me if she wakes up."

"Shoo," I shook my hand at him, working on getting the dress off. It was good and bad that it was so revealing; it was easy to get rid off, but allowed more damage to the girl. "Adel, hold this one right here and try not to let the blood escape."

She followed my instructions, putting her hand on the shallow stab wound of the woman's stomach, while I worked on the other ones. The ribs were the hardest to put into place, but I managed to finish patching her up in about an hour or so. Once I washed the blood off her face, I realized that she was still fairly young. Somewhere between eighteen and twenty, with smooth, tanned skin and red hair. She was also very pretty, and I absently wondered once again why the men attacked her.

I washed my hands, and wiped off a bead of sweat on my brow. Just then, Ezio came back, and not alone. I recognized Niccolo Machiavelli instantly, and gave him a wave of greeting. This must have been his house, which would explain the strange hospitality.

"So?" Ezio asked with some concern. I shrugged.

"She'll live. And hopefully tell us why those men attacked her."

"It's been happening all over the city, lately," Niccolo spoke up. I raised an eyebrow. "Courtesans are attacked in the middle of the day, paintings are stolen from the art stores, workshops and manors... there's been word of some cult forming."

"A cult?" I snorted. "Just lovely. What type of cult is this? The black-magic type, or fanatics of some old, forgotten and bloodthirsty pagan god?"

"They are fanatics, it seems," Niccolo showed no surprise at my question, "But I don't think any old, forgotten and bloodthirsty pagan gods are involved."

Adel laughed quietly. I sat down onto the couch beside the rescued prostitute, and leaned my chin onto my hands thoughtfully. "If it's not that, then what?"

"We're not sure yet. We don't have enough information, unfortunately. The cult must be still very small, and they don't attempt to spread their cause publicly just yet."

"When did it even start?" Ezio looked troubled.

"Just over a month ago."

I locked eyes with Ezio, tilting my head to the side, running mental calculations. "Coincidence?"

Ezio shook his head. "There's no such thing as coincidences in this line of work."

"Then there is a high chance of Savonarola being involved in this forming cult."

"Even if that's true, he is definitely not in Firenze right now. La Volpe would have known if he was."

"Then these men must be coming from outside the city," Adel spoke up with a reasonable conclusion. I glanced at her, and nodded in agreement.

"So perhaps if we caught one of them or followed them to a meeting-"

"We already tried that," Niccolo intervened. "The trail went dead. They are not meeting, nor are they even attempting to recruit anyone just yet. All in all, they won't talk."

"Have you tried more, ah, barbaric methods of interrogation?" Ezio raised an eyebrow. Niccolo spread his arms and shrugged.

"Actually, yes. But they remain silent. It's almost as if they are not physically able to talk about it."

I leaned towards him with curiosity. "How is that possible?"

"If the Apple is truly behind it, I think this is perfectly within its powers."

"So he is biding his time." Ezio walked over to the window, drawing away the curtain and looking down to the street.

"It's like chasing smoke at this point," I muttered. "So what about this woman?"

Everyone present looked at the courtesan, who was still lying as motionless as a doll under the thin blanket. "We should bring her to Paola's brothel, now that her life is out of danger. Perhaps we should ask the girls to be a bit more careful out on the streets these days..."

"And then?"

Ezio dropped the curtain, taking a step away from the window again. "We can't do anything right now. Let's head back to Monteriggioni. There are a few preparations that need to be done."

"What are we, getting ready for war?" I skeptically snorted. But by the look on Ezio's face, I could tell that was exactly what he had in mind.

* * *

"It's good to be home," I smiled, sliding off the gray horse.

Our arrival was noticed quickly, the old man that was in charge of the stables already taking care of the horses. I noticed that the stable itself had expanded greatly, quite a few horses residing at the moment. Seemed like "tourists" were flowing in. The town fully restored, travelers now stopped for the night, while before they preferred to wait until the nearest city or village. Passing merchants had even set up a small marketplace in the middle of town. The restored gardens and flowers that wound along the top floors of the shops and homes gave the fortress a more lively and cheerful feel. Not to mention, the cleaned and patched walls, repaired stained-glass windows, and new, wrought-iron railings of the villa made it look almost new. It was far more pleasant than the half-ruined house that towered over the town years before, when we first fled Firenze.

"It has become a charming little town, hasn't it?" Ezio proudly grinned in reply to my previous remark as we walked through the raised gates. His arm slung comfortably about my shoulders, I could almost feel the electric charge in the air as he took everything in. Not only was restoration of the villa a labor of love for him, it was a matter of Auditore pride.

"It's the Maestro!"

"Really?"

"Eden!"

"You won't believe it-"

The people were genuinely happy to see us as we moved between the houses, heading towards the villa. I replied to almost all the smiles that were shot at us, and soon my cheeks began to seriously hurt. Ezio looked pleased to be back in the place he could fully call his home, as well. But Adel...

She was not showing any emotion. She was simply walking close beside me, almost grabbing onto my belt, and refusing to look around. She also pointedly ignored the other kids, as if sending a clear message. I was already seriously worried about her anti-social nature…but it was really nothing new. I really didn't know whether she didn't like other kids simply because she considered herself above them, or if she was shy. Though if I was to be completely honest with myself, the latter was less likely than the former. Maybe she was like me a few years back, thinking that she really didn't deserve friends. Or that she would not be a good match for anyone. That was until I fell through time and threw in my lot with the assassins, of course. And even then, I still had those doubts some days.

I wrinkled my nose slightly at those thoughts. Complexes and insecurities... sad that it was so hard to root them out, if not impossible. And Adel was, after all, only ten years old, even if she'd seen and knew more than other kids her age. She'd learn with time to at the very least tolerate the presence of others when it's needed.

She'd have to learn a lot with time. No child deserved to have life's troubles heaped upon before they were ready. _We'll have to remedy that then…as soon as possible_, I mused, mentally adding it to the checklist of things I'd have to focus on now.

"Ezio! Eden! It's great to have you back!" The enthusiastic smile on Mario's face could never be faked. The man was positively shining at the sight of us, pushing aside an impressive stack of papers in his study as we met him. "I heard of everything that happened in Forli. But don't worry, we will catch that insane monk and get the Apple back."

"We have no doubts in that," Ezio grinned. At that moment, Claudia entered the office, not looking at us just yet, and dumping another stack of papers onto Mario's desk. His smile fell and he looked at them rather sourly.

"There are some merchants applying for permanent shops in the city, and there are income records for this week," she said in a business-like, slightly stern voice. "All I need is your signature, so no procrastinating this time!"

"I'm sure I can take care of those," Ezio spoke up, and Claudia's back tensed for a moment. Then she turned to him, dropping her manner completely and squealing like and excited little girl, throwing her arms around her brother's neck. I couldn't hide a smile a how the force of her leaping into his arms nearly caused him to stumble backwards. But of course he didn't mind.

"Ezio! _Dio mio_, I didn't notice you, and I didn't hear you were back in town - oh, I missed you so much!"

After Ezio, it was my turn to have the air totally crushed out of my lungs in her bear-hug attack. I patted her on the back, laughing.

"It's good to see you too. But what is it with everyone and trying to suffocate me with hugs?"

You could now see great family resemblance between Claudia and her brother. As she hit the age of eighteen, she was taller than me, though still a little plump, giving her a rather pleasing roundness. In my opinion, it was loads better than the bony noble women I got to see in Firenze, Venezia and Milano. There was a wedding ring glittering on her hand, as well. Last I heard, she married a _condittiero_, though she refused to leave the record books, saying that her uncle would let everything gather dust, much like it did before her arrival.

While she spent most of her day in the villa's library, keeping track of everything related to villa's success, she had other duties as well. A scribe of sorts, she kept detailed lists and records of the jobs and assassinations that the Brotherhood did. I also noted that her belly was bulging slightly in a new way. Seemed like Ezio will be getting a nephew or a niece soon...

"Are you going to be staying?" she grasped my hands, looking close to jumping up and down in excitement. "Oh, there is so much to do-"

"Wait, what do you mean?" I raised an eyebrow, mentally going through a list of things we could do in the villa. But considering the last time we spent a month here, I was bored to tears, I had no idea what she meant.

She looked at me confused, as if it was already common knowledge and we were the only ones ignorant. "The wedding, of course!"

I exchanged stunned looks with Ezio. Then I freed one hand out of her grasp, and slapped my forehead. "Can someone _please_ explain to me how everyone knows about it? I don't remember telling a soul!"

Mario laughed out loud. "Caterina sent a message ahead of you."

"Caterina... ri-i-ight."

Damn, the one person that we told about it was the one to tell all of Italia, it seemed.

"Of course there is much to do, and you have to set the date, and manage the preparations-"

"But-"

"No buts, we have more than enough money, but there is still plenty-"

"Claudia," Mario intervened, noticing how I was slowly paling as she continued to talk about dress cuts and different seasons. I wasn't sure how Ezio was reacting to this, for he was still silently standing behind us. Either he was laughing at my expense…or maybe he was beginning to panic, like me. "They have barely stepped over the threshold, _nipote_, give them a few days to rest."

"I don't think a few days will be enough," I muttered weakly, suddenly feeling a little sick. "Right - but before we get to all that, I think we should get the important things out of the way." Claudia opened her mouth, and then humphed, muttering something about how the wedding is important. However, she nodded, giving her brother another hug before walking out.

I settled into one of the chair, holding my face in my hands, "Oh good lord."

"Are you alright?" Ezio asked with some concern, likely worried by the shade of green my face took.

"The very idea of a wedding is still making me nauseous. It's nothing to do with you, don't worry, just the whole...wedding bit," I bluntly put it, rubbing my forehead forcefully.

"How about we talk about this important matter, then?" Mario suggested.

"So I didn't just say that to get rid of Claudia?" I thought about it for a moment. "Ah! Right. I remember now. Cannons."

"...cannons?"

"Yes. Cannons. We have the walls and towers, but we don't actually have anything for offensive if it ever comes to that," I explained.

"That's a good idea," Ezio nodded. "With the Apple in the wrong hands, I think we can almost readily expect an army at our gates any day."

Mario clasped his hands together under his chin, thoughtfully moving his one remaining eye between us. "You're right. And if not Savonarola's, then Borgia's. We have to be ready for anything."

"Also, it would be nice if we had some sort of escape route for the people that live here," Ezio added, "Perhaps a sanctuary? Or some passage that leads to safety, some ways outside the city?"

"There is a route through the Auditore crypt, but it's not accessible to anyone without the assassin skills. And now I have a question." Mario stood up from his desk with visible relief, still sourly eyeing the papers that were patiently awaiting an Auditore signature. He moved around us, towards the wall where the codex pages were hung up, scattered. "You have the map that leads to the locations of the codex pages, correct?"

"Yes."

"Then I suggest that aside from our search for the Apple, we attend to that, as well. I'd prefer if you did it personally, but send word to the Assassins in the cities, and they will do what they can."

"There are almost half of them still out there, and Leonardo is in Milano, so it will be difficult to translate them."

"Well, send him an invitation to the villa, then. Or visit him in Milan."

* * *

"Cannons?" Ezio asked with a smirk. I jabbed him with a pin in reply. Now I could totally understand the tailors who punished me for my sharp tongue with vicious pokes- the effect was immediate, Ezio letting out a small noise of surprise that brought immerse satisfaction.

"Yes, I thought of it in Forli. They didn't help out much there, but they could be useful. And aside from that, we should stock up on the usual tower defences: boiling oil, windows for archers, you know. The usual."

"Hey, I'm not saying anything against it. Like I said, it's a good idea," he hurried to reassure me before I could poke him harder. "How do you know so much about defenses, though?"

I looked at him with a raised eyebrow. "I was in mechanics and design class. You'd really be surprised the type of stuff we talked about. Castle defense is just one of many. If anything, at least historically, it was the starting point. As that's when people seriously started the mechanize ways of killing anything that moves."

"What else did they teach?"

"Weaponry, cars, architecture, torture machinery-"

"Wait, torture?" he paused.

I grinned, "Yeah. Like the Chinese water torture, electrical chair, stretching machines-"

"Please, spare me the gory details. Are you about done?"

"Huh? Oh, yes, just one little - there."

I took a step away to admire my handiwork. Sewing fabric was loads easier than stitching up wounds, so I managed without having to call the tailor. Besides, I simply had to tighten the outfit in some places and loosen it in others, so now the armor fit Ezio perfectly.

Altair's armor was mostly black with white strips leading the sleeves and falling into at least four different layers on the lower half. The cut seemed to fit well with the whole eagle theme of the outfit and their names, the slits reminding a bit of feathers. The metal work was very interesting, too. Black without any shine, despite being perfectly smooth, it was strangely lighter than leather. But there was not a single scratch on the surface, aside from the decorative design.

"How does it look?" Ezio asked me, spreading his arms. I laughed.

"Do you want me to be truthful, or can your ego stand another blow? I think it suits you." I came closer, reaching over his shoulders, and pulled the black hood on. It hung over his eyes, adding a mysterious shadow to his face. "That and the beard... you look awesome."

He caught my hands as I pulled away, and brought them to his lips. "_Grazie._"

"Well, the fitting is rather hard-" I began dramatically.

"I meant for staying with me so long. I don't think I could have made it this far without you."

I smiled, touched at that confession. "Where did your confidence go?"

"I'm serious," he murmured.

"Yes, I gathered that from the serious expression on your se-e-r-r-rios face." I lightly stood up on my toes so that I could kiss him. "Ezio, don't talk nonsense. You would have made it just as far without me. Except it would have been pretty damn boring. But I am here, so cheer up. You're a Master Assassin with your awesome Master Assassin armor and your Master Assassin sword-"

"And my Master Assassin wife?" he finally grinned. I rolled my eyes.

"Yes. Wait, am I considered a Master now, too?"

"Why wouldn't you be? Considering you are the one that taught me quite a bit, I think you became a Master even before me."

"Come now, I didn't teach you what you already innately knew. Its in the blood, I suspect. Plus, all of the other assassins as well," I smiled cheerfully. "So, what shall we do with our super awesome Master Assassin skills?"

"You never stop, do you?" he laughed as I shook my head. "Well, like Uncle said, there is the codex. We will still have to travel plenty to collect all of them..."

"That's alright. And don't forget," I suddenly frowned, narrowing my eyes and staring right into Ezio's brown eyes. "We still have an extremely dangerous and possibly fetal mission to do. It will take us many months under the rule of one bloodthirsty and unpredictable tyrant that we will not be able to control. We may not get out alive."

"Hm?" he tensed, staring at me suspiciously. "Savonarola?"

"No." I paused dramatically, "The wedding." I finished gravely.

We exchanged glances, and the next moment we both broke out laughing. Though that laughter was cut short by the realization that a wedding planned by a pregnant Claudia was likely the most terrifying assignment we've ever had to undertake in the world...

* * *

The Apple was a fascinating object, beautiful and dazzling, unlike anything that mortals could create. _It was worthy of God_, Girolamo Savonarola thought, not for the first time as he held it in his hands.

It was a sign from the Lord, he _knew_ it. A sign of the approaching Second Coming, a sign to all those that believed that God had not forsaken them. _You are the prophet_, it seemed to whisper, _The man who will lead them to the safety of faith and worship. Only you may put an end to all the blasphemous masses._

The monk looked outside the window, down to the streets of Pisa, where he has temporarily taken refuge, biding his time. His teeth clenched at the sight of all those women, their painted faces and necks and arms wrapped in jewels and gold. _I should strangle them with it_, he furiously thought, mouth curling with a snarl, _Them and all the people who wear colorful clothing of nobility, walking about with their undeserved pride…lust…gluttony. Their wanton ways, blight upon us all. _

God created them in his image, as close to perfection as the human race could get. Yet they still tried to outshine his glory, cover up his creation with all those excessive clothes and metals. _Idolatry, _the golden gift in his hand whispered. _Ah, but you, you can make it clean!_

The day of reckoning would come. They would all learn, or fall into hell behind him.

His next step was to take Florence. Firenze was the center of Italy at present, the perfect place to begin the conversions. But Lorenzo de'Medici still stood in his way, and Savonarola knew that the man would not back down, even before God's prophet. So they would have to wait. And if things did not move fast enough, perhaps he could even push the events a little bit. But in the meantime...

"Master," The monk looked around at the servant. The boy had the honor of being the very first person cured of his delusions... and now he stared at Savonarola with an obedient and blissfully happy expression, hanging onto his every movement, every word.

"There is going to be a wedding in the small town of Monteriggioni," the monk replied, "The assassin survived, and is now about to marry a woman by the name of Eden." Even as he spoke, the Apple whispered to his mind with the voice of the Lord. "She was his last word, and she shall be his end, as well. Capture her and bring her to me. There may be more to her than meets the eye if she was strong enough to hold a murderer's love."

"It will be as you command."

"No," the monk snapped, eyes wild and wide, "As God commands..."


	44. Chapter 43

**A/N- **I apologize for the delay, but hopefully this long chapter will make up for it :D

* * *

_Well, this is familiar._

_White. Once more, just empty, vaguely shimmering white clouds, their heavy, opaque fog swirling all around me. Caressing my skin, the barest kiss along my limbs, their feel light and mildly damp, __the__ moisture in the air was wrought about the ghosting drizzle._

_And of course, __there wa__s the inviting white bench in the middle of it._

_Okay, I think I understood so far; considering this was the usual setting for my internal chats with my dear sister all those years ago, and occasional talk with Alex, this was my brain's meeting room._ _Original, I had to admit._

_But who the hell was the guy sitting on the bench?_

_"Sit down." The voice was low, but attractive and strangely smoky, reminding me somewhat of Ezio's. Except the accent was completely different, a bit rough, dry and lilting with command. It certainly left little room for questioning or nonsense. "I rather despise it when people hover." _

_"My brain, my rules," I snapped almost defensively, still staring at the man, and trying to figure out just where I had seen him before. _

_He was dressed in Ezio's master assassin's robes, loose and midnight black. But this was definitely not my fiancé, even despite the two sharing the same height, build and complexion. Ezio always sat with an elegant, feline sort of grace, lulling one into a false sense of security before he struck with lethal efficiency. This one was a coiled ball of crackling, unpredictable energy, perfectly still, yet ready to strike out at the slightest provocation with brutal, deadly aplomb. Unless the guards were out in particular force, Ezio always made eye contact, charming and drawing in with his easy smiles and languid laughter. This one refused to look up, his hooded head lowered, elbows resting on his knees, and fingers thoughtfully steepled. While I could not see his face, I still felt an evaluating glare._

_We didn't speak for a bit longer. Finally, I rolled my eyes, and sat down beside him. He shifted slightly, through the air about us was suddenly less grave. Immediately, the image of Ezio's smirk swam up into my mind. Though the face wasn't exactly that of the Florentine…_

_"Alright, now what?"_

_"Now?" he barely shrugged, "We talk."_

_The accent was Arabic, I finally determined._

_"Lovely. Care to explain who the hell you are and what you're doing mucking __about__ in my mind?"_

"_I do not see how harmlessly sitting on a bench could be interpreted as your so-called 'mucking about,'" he waved around him._

"_And now I see how the supposed Auditore charm was inherited," I muttered. _

"_Shukran, ya aziza," he sounded distantly amused._

"_Come again?"_

"_Forgive me," he breathed, "Old habits…I said 'Thank you, my friend.'"_

_After a moment of contemplative silence, he reached up, and pulled his hood down. A mild tilt of the head and he gave me a chance to look at him properly. Without a word, I stared at him closely; slightly ruffled, short chestnut hair, tanned skin with a scattering of freckles across the nose, nearly-golden eyes, the confident, evaluating stare, and a slight, seemingly permanent frown._

_"I didn't know scars were genetic," I snorted, crossing my arms in my attempt to hide my surprise at Ezio's near-doppelganger. The man twitched the indeed scarred corner of his mouth upwards._

_"Smart woman," Altair said evenly with an approving nod, still staring at me with __the__ same interest that I was examining him with. "Those are a rarity, though there are a few... exceptions." His face brightened for a moment, only to go back to a neutral expression. "Now, you have questions for me?"_

_I was taken slightly aback. "Me? I never said-"_

_"I'm inside your head, am I not?" he raised an eyebrow, his frown deepening._

_"Yes, please explain that little detail to me. How the hell are you in my head when we have never met? Not to mention, I'm nearly 300 years ahead of your time. Well, about 800, if you want to get technical about it, what, with all the time jumping back to my own time…and then there's the bouncing back to Renaissance Floren-"_

"_You talk a lot." I couldn't tell whether that was an observation or an insult. I decided now wasn't quite the time to get snappy, so I settled for a huff of retort as he continued, "As for why I'm in your head? It's hard to explain, shall we say."_

_"And as you said, I'm pretty smart." I crossed my legs as well, leaning back into the bench and staring expectantly at Altair. "Try."_

_"As you wish then. Sister, do you know the talents that you and my distant grandson share?"_

_"Which in particular? The killing things talent? Or the talent for getting elbows __deep__ into bizarre plots and conspiracies?"_

_"No, those are a given to any assassin." Another hint of a smile. "But I meant things such as the Eagle Vision. And not just that. You may not realize or notice it, but that isn't all the abilities you possess."_

_"Really?" I raised my eyebrows, "Then I haven't-"_

_"Ezio is an uncannily swift study, is he not?" A flash of straight, white teeth, and his expression rapidly returned back to neutral. I could almost swear I didn't even see the smile. "I believe you were much the same when you were forced into training," Altair continued to stare at me fully, not for a moment looking away from my eyes. I shivered slightly; it was not a very pleasant stare to have looking into your soul, confident, proud, but a bit chilly. Yet I was made of stronger guts, and I returned his gaze head on._

_"Well, I was the only woman that survived. But it doesn't mean that I was a faster learner," I countered._

_"Modesty is a virtue, but not naivety. You were wrong before, when you assumed that your blood thinned of whatever it is that makes us special. That line has lasted for hundreds of __millennia__. And it will not begin to fade out for just as long."_

_"Then why could I not control the Apple?" I asked a reasonable question. The man let out a low chuckle, almost as though a child was asking of a simple task._

_"Because at the time, you were still not thinking with a completely clear head. We've all been deceived, sister, assassin or not. Such is the gift and folly of man, and of the illusions many of us choose to accept. It is why we must pierce the veil, mastering those emotions and refusing our assumptions. Only by gaining a true understanding of our Creed may we dispel the lies."_

"_Nothing is true," I murmured. "The Apple's power is illusion, and nothing more..."_

"_Astounding, isn't it?" He could have been mocking me. But his voice was even and almost scholarly, belying no hint of disdain. Simply, acceptance of the truth._

_"So if I had the Apple right now, I would be able to control it?" I asked after a long moment. Altair tilted his chin down in what could be considered a nod with some imagination. Like all of his other movements, no excess energy was wasted, every gesture sparse and efficient. "Wait, but that makes no sense. You said that I was like Ezio, and that I learned faster. But that's not true, for I remember being completely amazed at his progress."_

_"Sister, you survived what only very few have, and you were the best of your city. You have exceeded any and all expectations. The only reason you did not advance even further was because your teacher was a false idol to our dogma, a follower __of__ deceit and disgrace, who twisted our methods to his own wretched end. Unlike you, Ezio was on the true path from the beginning. Though he did not know it until our enemies attempted to __wipe out__ his life and memory." Altair blinked for moment, his expression hard and unreadable until he waved a hand in dismissal, "And so he taught you Eagle Vision, which is now as bright as his, I presume."_

_I listened with furrowed eyebrows, beginning to chew on my lower lip in thought as he finished explaining it all to me_. _"Alright...give me a moment to wrap my head around this," I lifted up a finger. He patiently waited until I finally gave up. "Fine," I muttered, "Maybe I can't process this quite yet…but that doesn't explain what the hell you're doing here. Or where this blood even comes from."_

_"I can't tell you of everything, for we do not have an eternity, I am afraid. But I am here because those hours with the Apple in your hands did not go completely without consequence. I have spent a considerable amount of time with the artifact myself, trying to unravel the concept of it, much like you. The entire process is rather complex, something far beyond the human mind to understand. All we are left to do is accept it."_

_"Great. I have come to the conclusion that you are either another hallucination my sister's Talisman is planting into my head…or…the result of my nervousness before my fune- I mean, wedding."_

_The man very suddenly laughed. "You remind me of Malik-"_

"_Who?"_

"_A most dear friend who pulled me from my own path of hubris," he smiled, though his eyes were dark with distant regret. "He had a very sharp tongue that he never hesitated in cutting me with...My dear girl, I am here because of just that. Your wedding."_

_"Excuse me?" I jumped to my feet in shock, staring at him with huge eyes. "Not you too! First Ezio gets the insane idea. Then Claudia won't leave me alone, trying to get me to __choose__ tablecloth patterns and dress designs? And now my own hallucinations are talking about it?"_

_"Sit down," he simply stated. Just like the first time, I waited out a long moment before taking my seat again. "It is not the wedding you're frightened of."_

_"I'm **not** scared-"_

_"You're a terrible liar," he snorted, though his eyes glittered with amusement, "And even more foolish than I thought for daring to think you can deceive your own mind." I didn't know what frightened me more; that Altair was actually making a joke, or that I was essentially calling out myself. Or was he calling me out using the power of the Apple? He couldn't possible be here, **in **the Apple…could he? _

_Actually alive...?_

"_And stop trying to formulate some kind of logic out of this," he ordered, "You, sister, are terrified like a little girl in front of a band of bandits."_

_"I can kill a band of bandits-"_

_"But you can't even face marriage."_

_"What, now you're a psychiatrist as well as an assassin? Or a marriage counselor?"_

_"To the question I know you are dying to find the answer to, yes. It is allowed for assassins to marry. Normal families make things slightly problematic, of that I am fully aware," Altair grinned, "But Ezio is not a normal man, just as you are not a normal woman," he stated, leaning back against the bench._

_"Gee, thanks, Einstein. I already figured we were superheroes," I grumbled, looking away, and biting down on my lip. "I'm fine," I snapped, "I have already agreed to it, and I've even put the past behind-"_

_"It's hardly the past that terrifies you now. Rather, the prospect of being tied to the man, potentially loosing the ability to get up and leave when you want to," he bluntly interrupted me, "Not to mention, when you have children, and the responsibilities that come with that for you. You have little desire to leave a child behind, to rarely see it, to see your family targeted by the enemy. And who better," his gaze bore into mine, "To be aware of such things than the one who has lived it?"_

_"What mother would want that?" I strangled, tightly closing my eyes and hearing my own heartbeat suddenly roar in my ears. "Listen…no…just...we simply can't deal with children just yet!" I exclaimed with frustration. My fingers dug into the wooden slats of the bench, threatening my palms with splinters. My cheeks were suddenly cold and clammy, a fine sweat breaking out along my brow. Indeed, that matter had been eating away at me since Eve healed all the internal scarring. It forced me to visit the doctor regularly to head off the potential, unpleasant consequence. Utilizing the Queen Anne's Lace seeds the courtesans used to continue their livelihoods uninterrupted, I too found myself without child, though by choice this time._

_"And who is forcing you to have children yet?" he shrugged in response to my short monologue. "Finish what you must do. Ensure a future for your family before you start it. You know, such was our way at Masyaf. Sooner or later, each assassin would find himself a woman that would give birth to his child. If it was a boy, he would be taken from them, to never know of his parents," he quietly continued, voice dropping. "His father could pass right beside him, and he did not have a right to speak a word of it. And though they remained with their parents, the girls fared little better. For what is a life spent in unquestioning servitude to the whims and mercies of the Brotherhood?"_

_"I know. I read your codex," I waved my hand._

_"I changed those rules as soon as I was the Grand Master," he continued, as though he couldn't hear me. "I believed, and still believe that a child needs his family. Such bonds create a nearly unbreakable cause to fight for. You already fight to protect those most precious to you, do you not?"_

_"Ezio," I spoke without hesitation, "His mother, his uncle, Monteriggioni. Claudia and her baby...though right now I want to strangle the woman with my bare hands," I fleetingly grinned, "And Adel."_

_"Hm. It seems you understand that concept better than you give yourself credit for, then. Yet I fear I cannot say the same for your pupil."_

_I gave a slightly confused nod. "Adel understands the sacrifice. Revels in it even," I swallowed. "But not the reasons behind it."_

_"She will as long as you and my grandson are there to show her," he smiled. He really had quite a handsome smile when he was not frowning or smirking, I noted. So, so much like his distant relative…"Well, I see you may figure the rest out on your own... Safety and Peace, sister."_

_"Safety and peace," I repeated, still a bit stunned by the encounter. The assassin stood up fluidly, pulling on his hood, and began to walk away. "Wait!"_

_He stopped, and looked over his shoulder with a cocked eyebrow._

_"For Ezio to be around, you have to have had children too...which means you had a wife, or at least a woman. Can I ask-?"_

_"I had a woman, yes," he grinned again, quite contently, "Maria was one of the least likely of people to be that one, in fact, considering our circumstances...she was a Templar," he explained, seeing the lack of understanding on my face. "The only female one. Very bold, uncommonly smart and utterly determined. In other words? A good person misled by the promises of a holy mission."_

_With that, he simply walked away, much like my sister and Alex did on many occasions, dissolving into the white fog.~_

* * *

I woke up suddenly, blinking and shaking my head slightly, the white still hovering in my eyes.

_What. The. Fuck...?_

"Mmm..." Ezio stirred, opening one eye slightly, "Is it mornin'?"

"No," I instinctively patted him on the shoulder to quickly assure him we were in no danger, "Not yet." I glanced out the window to make sure, but it was still dark, without any hint of sunlight.

"Oh," he nestled back into my collarbone, nuzzling it with his nose, "Bad dreams?"

"Just…weird ones," I admitted, smiling with relief as I ran hand through his messy hair and he purred in agreement. In a second, his breathing evened out again, and he fell asleep.

I was left to stare at the ceiling to contemplate just what the hell happened. Why I could still remember everything with such clarity, as if I truly did just have a long discussion with Ezio's long-dead ancestor?

_"And so I have begun to wonder - might there not be a way to stop - or at least delay - death's embrace?…faced as I am with the prospect of my end, what harm is there in one last look..._"

Did Altair truly manage it, then? To survive beyond his time? But what is such an existence?

Inside the Apple was only a memory of him, his concept, his mind. And it seems that as I held it in my hands, searching for my own answers, I received a bit more than I bargained for. I remembered the brief incident in Firenze, and shivered slightly. The feeling that you shared a body and brain with someone else was not a pleasant, and I dearly hoped that was not the case.

Before falling back asleep, hours later, I mentally decided that I was never, not on the life of me, ever going to handle the artifacts again. If only for the sake of my sanity...

* * *

"Again," I sighed, not even looking up from the book, orienting on the loud _thunk!_ of the crossbow bolt against the dummy. The dummy patiently took the blow, and likely praised the gods that it was made of wood, because any man would likely hate to be in its place at that moment.

Adel obediently inserted another bolt.

"Shouldn't we take a break?" she asked as she aimed at the dummy again, and shot. The recoil must have stung her already bruised shoulder, and she was forced to take a small step back. However, she made no noise of pain. After a year of everyday exercises with crossbows, throwing knives, daggers and other weapons, she learned to take it as a given, almost refusing to complain.

I furrowed my eyebrows. "Why? Getting tired?"

"No." She let the meaningless jab go, tucking the loose strand behind her ear. "But there is a little important thing that we have to do today."

"Really?" I displayed sincere surprise, "And what might that be?"

"You honestly don't remember? It's rather big," Adel smirked, running the bolt into the Dummy's head. He flinched violently as if in shock - head shots were still a rare thing for Adel.

"Who taught you to talk like that, I wonder?" I narrowed my eyes playfully, flipping the page.

"You," she reminded me, and returned to the game immediately. "Now, don't tell me you actually forgot?"

"Do I have to drag it all out of you? I didn't know you wanted to get to torture and interrogation quite so soon..."

She sighed heavily, shaking her head in disbelief, "You'll find out in about five seconds."

"Find out wha-"

**"EDEN!"**

"That."

With a sinking feeling, I turned my head towards the rampaging doom. My book slammed shut and I held it in front of my chest as a shield, somehow forgetting about my legs and my general ability to protect myself more properly...

"**WHAT DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING, I'VE BEEN LOOKING EVERYWHERE FOR YOU!**"

"Claudia, how lovely to see you - did you do something to your hair?" I asked weakly, "You look absolutely luminous today," I swallowed. The young woman stopped only a step away from me, towering over me menacingly, her eyes all but spitting fire. If this were any other time, I would have found it pretty hilarious that she and her brother shared a nearly identical expression whenever they were pissed beyond repair. Right down to the arched brows of barely contained rage, the flushed cheeks of indignation, and the constant sputterings of disbelief.

Unfortunately, now was not one of those times.

_Dammit it all to hell…_

She grabbed my arm, dragging me to my feet with surprising strength. "We only have six hours, and you're relaxing here like some- seriously, sometimes I get the feeling you don't want this at all!"

I finally remembered that I was, after all, an Assassin, and Claudia was only an accountant, killer bloodlines or not. Digging my heels into the stones of the walkway forced her to a stop, allowing me to twist my arm out of her grip. "Wait, wait, wait…what are you talking about?"

"The wedding, of course! Did you forget it's tonight?"

My heartbeat just about stopped, my soul ran to my feet, and all the blood left my face.

"That- _today?_" I gasped out, surprising even myself with my raspy, almost inaudible voice. "Oh, fuckin...fudgicle sticks," I stammered, shooting a glance over Adel. Thankfully, she hadn't heard me, attempting to sneak up on one the stray cats that'd made the villa its home.

"Yes, today! Don't you even dare think about running away, either. I already asked _zio_ Mario to station guards around the town," she warned me.

"I think I need a doctor, actually..." I yanked on my collar- it was suddenly hard to breath…_suffocating_ in fact…

"Stop being so dramatic! We still have to get you ready, and we _only_ have six hours!"

I didn't say out loud what I thought about the last phrase. Because it seemed to me that in six hours, I could change my mind about six thousand times, and/or make a run for it about roughly six hundred times...

It's hard to say what happened next. I think Claudia, taking advantage of my near-stroke weakness, dragged me to some house. I'm not sure why she didn't take me to the villa, really. Perhaps some other tradition or something? It was all a blur…one strange, mildly horrifying flash of images that I wasn't quite sure were real or not…Immediately, I was stuffed into some very strong smelling water, something that completely murdered my sense of smell. Thankfully, she was careful with the soap, muttering something about red eyes. I felt almost unnecessarily clean afterward too, thankfully.

Then, the formal dressing up of the bride began, much to my growing horror...

I will not lie; when I was a child, I had my fantasies about my wedding day. How I'd put on a white dress and walk down the aisle, blinding everyone with either my beauty (hey, anything is allowed in dreams), the dress, or the outrageously expensive jewelry. Of course, I could have never accounted for the fact that I was getting married in Italy during the Renaissance, where the dresses were a bit different. And a hell of a lot more uncomfortable.

"Jesus Christ, you move bloody fast," I snorted as she swiftly slipped the snowy white, silk chemise over my head. That was quickly followed by her looping the corset around my torso and hooking it closed in the front. Alright, I have to admit that corset was pretty fancy. Wrought of golden silk, it was embroidered with curling green vines. Every few inches, they spouted an array of crimson and dark blue flowers. Laced up the back with gold, silk ribbons, my soon to be sister-in-law yanked them together without any warning. "Why," I let out through gritted teeth, my voice unusually high, "Do you feel the need to torture m- OW! God-_DAMMIT CLAUDIA!"_

"Shush," Claudia ordered, shoving me down onto the bed and even going so far as putting a foot on my back as she tightened the corset. Sure, I wore a bodice daily. But they were always laced up the front, which didn't allow for the apparent joy of lung-crushing goodness. And, uh, considering our daily activities, Ezio always re-laced it rather loosely, allowing for easier access and all…

However, now? My ribs were not expecting such abuse, my lungs squealing for mercy...

"What have I done so wrong to deserve this?" I wailed, scrambling back to my feet and holding tightly to the bedpost. "Leave me alone, you demon! Can't you see my organs can't be squished any further?" One of the maids giggled, and immediately put her hand to her mouth.

"Oh, so you can spend days at a time training and fighting, but you can't handle a corset?" Claudia taunted, spinning me around to face her and ensure the hooks in front hadn't popped open. No such luck.

Suddenly taking a look at my face and seeing the different colors of mild asphyxiation that paraded through it, she hurried to loosen the lacings. Praise God on high, I could finally breath again! "Training and fighting is easier than this," I hissed. At that moment, she either gave up trying to remove my ribs and cinch my waist any tighter, or she finally achieved the desired (in her point of view) results. So she gave me one last vengeful tug, making me choke on another groan as she finally tied off the lacings. I tried to take a deep breath, but failed immediately, already beginning to feel lightheaded.

"I still can't believe you forgot about the wedding, though. Was the drinking fest last night not good enough a reminder?" she asked me, allowing me a few moments of breath.

"Ah, yes. The drinking fest, formerly known as the bachelorette party." I had a hard time concealing a grin. The party was my idea, of course, and it turned out surprisingly fun. "As far as I remember, _you_ got drunk almost scandalously fast, and then...something about table dancing, I think, as well as trying to pull the pants off the poor bar keep."

Claudia's face flushed deep red. It appeared that she did not remember that particular part.

"And Caterina began to sing songs that would make a sailor blush," I continued, the only thing containing my laughter being the promise of pain, thanks to the corset. "Not to mention, Paola really knows how to throw a party...I really had no idea there was such thing as a male courtesan, but there you go. You should remember that part, Claudia. You seemed to be enjoying yourself, after all."

"Alright, that's enough," Claudia armed herself with a comb, coming at me menacingly.

Really, the only thing louder than our party was Ezio's. I did not remember the details, but we did manage to cross paths a few times when the parties spilled out from the bars and into the streets. I also distinctly remembered fire crackers. And the blacksmith chasing pigeons on the roofs. While naked.

It was a good night.

The fond memories and the dreamy smile were wiped off my face as soon as Claudia brought the torture device known as "the comb" through my hair. She would have made good rank in some government dungeon, interrogating prisoners and forcing them to confess their sins, including the made up ones. Though at my jeering comment, she just yanked on a strand of hair, making me break into a hiss.

Someone's familiar face popped up in the open window, despite us being on the second story of the villa now. "How are things on this front?"

"The fortress is taken, we're trying to maintain power," Claudia answered in a routine tone, and La Volpe chuckled. I was not amused by that, but I had better things to focus on. Like regretting ever letting my hair grow out. "How are things with Ezio?"

"Mario and Antonio are still trying to push him into that outfit you laid out for him."

"And what does he say?"

"He says he looks like a ghost in it and no way in hell will he wear that as to not scare off all the guests. Especially the bride herself."

Well, there was some comfort in the thought that he was fully sharing my sentence in the torture chambers...

To tell the truth, there was supposed to be some sort of etiquette in reference to men being around a half-clothed wife-to-be. But did it really need to be said that none of us cared? The Fox, along with all the other men, were not shy of women in the slightest, and could not resist poking fun at the victims…I mean the bride and groom...

Of course with all that, let's not forget that the leading women of this "celebration" (Claudia and partially Teodora and Paola. And Rosa's whole organization of the liquor at the bachelorette party) were not left alone for a moment. People came by every minute to report, and in the next twenty minutes I heard the following:

-The priest was missing, only to be found two minutes later, sleeping under a bush while cuddling a bottle of good church wine.

-Bartolomeo had arrived, despite his earlier announcement that he had far more important things to do, and was now demanding explanation as to why he was not told that there was going to be food and alcohol. Plus, he was chasing around a particularly lazy kitchen boy out of boredom.

-The flowers were picked, but all the vases went missing…and while they were looking for them, the bouquets went missing as well.

-The horses ate the said flowers. Funnily enough, they still don't know what the horses were doing inside the walls...

Chaos. Bloody chaos. How was I ever talked into this?

But finally, the mess that was my hair was tamed and left alone until further developments. I also noticed Adel, already dressed in a pretty red dress and standing guard beside the door, watched the entire process with slightly sadistic interest. Considering the questionable pleasure of getting married would not come around to her for at least five more years, and likely much longer, she was simply enjoying watching me suffer.

At the sight of the dress, I began to rebel again.

"Shouldn't you go take care of Federico?" I flailed my arms at Claudia. Telling her to go baby her son was the one and only method that worked on her for the past three months, something that Ezio and me were using in full force anytime she came around. But this time, she was determined and unmovable.

"Paolo is taking care of him today, so you don't get the chance to make a run for it."

"In this dress, I won't get far without choking, trust me," I muttered darkly.

"Stop being a baby," Claudia brought the dress over my head, making me think I went blind for a moment, "You're only getting married!"

"I don- mrph!" All further arguments were effectively cut off the dress.

At our first attempt, I stared at the lacing wildly, and Claudia, with just as much shock, was staring at my shoulder blades that showed above the neckline. The next try was little better, as suddenly the only opening for my head I could find was the skirt again. We may have not been able to handle a fourth attempt, but luckily everything finally fit and closed properly.

The dress was actually okay, as it was the only part of the planning that I participated in, adding a bit more of the modern style to it. Leonardo did a bit of artistic tweaking, too, and the tailor of Monteriggioni was far from the worst.

So there it was! A beautiful, deep scarlet and white dress that clung to my unnaturally small figure at the waist, falling down in intricate folds. The bodice was scarlet and red as well, the rounded neckline cut to the top of my bosom. The detached sleeves alternating scarlet and white as well, they were embroidered with swirling golden thread and heavy, golden beads. As per the usual Renaissance custom, my crimson kyrtle was pulled and puffed out in between where the sleeves attached to the shoulder and from the elbow to wrist. Dragging slightly on the floor, that was quickly fixed by the heeled ballet flats I was forced to wear. And the fact that train was so long that I had to carry its gathered edge on a little silk wristband around my wrist. At least when the ceremony was over and the dancing began.

Claudia assured me it was the _absolute_ height of Florentine dress. I just wanted to ensure I wouldn't trip down the aisle and land on my face, potentially breaking it in front of everyone.

"Are you going to take much longer?" Adel suddenly popped up in the window, even though I could have sworn she was still by the door. Her hair looked ruffled again, shining in the sun like a golden crown, and her cheeks were flushed. She must have given into the said chaos and run some quick errands, though considering that Caterina brought her children along, she was likely just playing with them. Well, playing was not a good term - chasing them around and scaring the living daylights (or, at least trying to do that) was more like it.

"Yes!" Claudia growled, not pleased with my lack of cooperation. "Oh, tell the girls not to hurry with the tables yet. Wait until Paola gets there-"

"Paola is busy, something about horses-"

"Then I'll do it myself as soon as I finish with our give-away bride-"

"Maybe we should give me out anywhere?" I whined hopelessly. They ignored me, and I sighed. Well, as much as the corset would allow me to. "Aaa, I'm still so young..."

"Go to the window and keep yelling," Adel jabbed with a grin, "You can scare away passersby at the same time."

"I get the feeling I already scared away everyone within a mile radius yesterday," I grumbled as Claudia moved behind me to finish her comb-torture technique.

I did not let her tie my hair up, however. Appropriate or not, I liked it better loose, and after a few moments, she agreed that it did look better. There was a reason, of course. Mostly that I looked almost astonishingly ridiculous with all the strands pulled tightly against my scalp. After a bit of hesitation, Adel got a hold of my hair, and managed to create a rather nice lovely hairstyle with little braids, ribbons, curls and tiny flowers. I certainly didn't need any jewels or precious stones in it, like most noble woman would do. In the end, it was like a natural crown of sorts that wound about my head. Intricate but still surprisingly natural looking.

"Don't worry, I think that they didn't run away immediately," Claudia replied. "But after your horrible improvisation of 'I can't believe I'm dying,' last night, I wouldn't be surprised if all of Monteriggioni runs away to a monastery..."

"Well, it's your fault! I told you I quit drinking..."

"I thought it would make you feel better!"

"And it did!"

"Something I can't say for the rest of us," Adel laughed. She was not present at the party officially, though the sly and fast girl likely managed to get right into the middle of it anyway. "As far as I remember, after that song, all the women and half the men were tearing up."

That was a lot of people, considering any time the irritated and angry neighbors tried to stop the noise that was provided by our sending me off to the next, but not necessarily better married life. Whenever we drummed on the door of the next person's house, they would open it to find quite a number of arms beginning to pull the poor women who resided there outside. All while we swore to god that we would calm down and go home…just as soon as they drank a tankard with us. The only reason we did not manage to collect the entire town was because the same depressing talents (or the lack of thereof) could be heard from the other end, where the men moved with Ezio's party. And by the time we got about a quarter of the way through town, we were taking both the women _and _men with us, Ezio doing the same.

"By the way, who invited those three brothers that drank more than ten men could?"

"Those were our best and oldest friends," I said without even thinking, "At least, that's what they told us. And weren't there six...?"

I refused the makeup in Claudia's composition, which was likely much like the good old noble traditions. Considering the frightening amount of different bottles and power, she was going to smother me head-to-toe. After a long-winded argument and two lost votes, I finally managed to convince her to let me do my own makeup, lining my eyes and lips, and using minimal powder to at least partially conceal the ugly scars that threw my face out of symmetry. I left it at that, almost afraid to wreck my looks further.

Once that was done, both Claudia and Adel took a step away with little breaths of awe as they viewed the entire wedding cake that I now appeared to look like. I stood in front of the mirrors, shuttering slightly on the heels, afraid to move, and suddenly feeling extremely fragile.

The only classification that came to mind was the persistent whisper of "_ca-a-a-ake…_"

"Adel!" someone from the outside called loudly, and one of Caterina's kids jumped onto the window sill. I remembered only the fact that the kid was not the one we rescued from the Orsi brothers a year ago. "Come on, Bianca found the wedding cake!"

Strange, I thought I was still here...

"What? Can't you see I'm busy?" Adel flashed her eyes with the irritated arrogance of a feral cat. The kid didn't take offense - I got the feeling he was already used to such treatment, as he just shrugged. It was interesting to see that Caterina's kids didn't really put on any airs, at least.

"Keep your hands off that cake!" Claudia wailed angrily. Cesare jumped down to the ground, avoiding her wrath while loudly snorting, Adel evaporating moments later. Well, if we saw chunks from that cake missing, we'd know who to blame.

Hearing a knock at the door, Claudia scrambled to answer it. "Leonardo!" I looked at him like he was my savior, and he even flinched away, not expecting such a loud and enthusiastic greeting. "Have you come to save me from the mockery of that evil witch?" I whispered, leaning into him and snatching him by the sleeve in near desperation, "Are you ready to slay the dragon and take her hoard?"

"Um…no?" he cautiously disappointed me, and I hunched again, a moment later getting wacked on the back of my head by a comb. Damn, apparently the whole, "I have extremely heightened senses thing," ran in the Auditore blood…"But Teodora asked me to pass you the flowers-"

"Ah, thanks!" Claudia took them out of his hands and looked at me critically before handing it to me. I grasped at the stems awkwardly, almost like they were my life line. After a few long moments, she nodded in satisfaction. "It'll do."

"I need to sit down," I mumbled, ready to dramatically roll my eyes to the back of my head and lower myself into the nearest seat in the good memory of those weak-nerved ladies I always made fun of here in this era.

"No time!" The likely uncertified and definitely unwanted Fairy Godmother just couldn't let me take a breath to fully realize exactly _why_ this was happening... "The wedding is in half-an hour, we have to get you to the chapel, stat!"

"Wait, the chapel?" I put both my hands up, "Hell no! The day is beautiful, and there is no way in hell I will let my death happen in a stuffy little chapel!"

She looked at me with some doubt, and then sighed. "Well, the last will is sacred. Where would you like?"

"How about in front of the villa?" Leonardo suggested, noticing my slight hesitation due to the lack of oxygen and blood getting to my brain. "The view is beautiful, there's plenty of space, and all we have to do is move a few benches and convince the priest-"

Claudia looked like she was mentally calculating it. "Is the priest even sober yet?"

"Ah-"

"Nope," Adel bent over the window again happily. I noticed traces of whip cream on her cheeks... "When we tried to wake him up, he yelled and screamed and threw the bottle at us, but he didn't get up."

"That's a problem..."

"Can't Teodora do it?" I suddenly asked. "I know a nun isn't the same, but it's not like this is an orthodox wedding anyway. We could make an exception, right?"

"Well," Leonardo scratched his head, "She is close to God. I doubt the priest wants us spreading rumors that he was too drunk to perform the service, so he'll happily just sign off on the wedding contract. Hopefully, Sister Teodora wouldn't mind..."

"To tell the truth, I'd rather a friend get a license on the internet and do it." Everyone paused and gaped at me, causing me to quickly add, "But since that's not an option, we can still have a friend, right? It's not that bad a violation, considering women can do it back in my birthplace."

Leo looked like he was about to ask me what internet was, but my stern glare made him get back to the point. "We don't have much choice, either way, so I'll go ask her."

"Also, get Bartolomeo to help out with those benches!" Claudia called after him, and then turned around to me, planting her fists in her waist and looking over the entire composition once again. "Are you ready to get married?"

"I want my mommy..."

"You don't get a choice," she told me, not without a doze of sadistic amusement.

Then I was somehow transferred into the villa - I really have no idea how we got there, I think I was too far gone in the horrors of my imagination to really see what was happening. Especially as the outside the noise only grew. I was already near a stroke, wanting nothing more than to climb up to the chandelier, grab onto it with both my legs and arms, and swing out of the window, musketeer-style. Like hell they'd get me down!

I did not get the chance, however. Before long, the women were once again pushing me out the door. I got stuck in the wide frame however, and began to quietly moaning in terror, my legs barely holding me and forcing me to clench my fingers on the frame in desperation.

The public, that being the entire town, happily met me with loud cheers, densely filling not only the space around the villa, but also the streets down below. Apparently, they all somehow found my funeral an entertaining event. Then again, I heard some mourners that wouldn't be so against an actual funeral tonight, as Ezio's fangirls were still depressed. The music began immediately and all at the same time, wolves and dogs within a mile or so radius enthusiastically joined in. Everything was dressed in ribbons and flowers, as if there was some colorful explosion, making my eyes water slightly. My teeth began to chatter...

Claudia finally succeeded in pushing me out the door, almost putting a knife to my back (and no, I didn't doubt she had one hidden somewhere on her person…). Traditionally, my father was supposed to give me away and all that. But I had no escort, except for rabid Claudia, for three reasons. First of all, I didn't have a father. Secondly, I boldly claimed that I belonged only to myself and that I could perfectly well step into my own coffin. And lastly, this way, I could still make a run for it, as opposed to someone holding me on the right track. Like Mario, who was the closest thing I had to a father…kind of.

I took a few steps forward...and then a few more... _I'm going to fall and break my legs…__that sucks…but wait a minute, that would be there wouldn't__ be a wedding..._another step...

And then I saw Ezio.

Looking as a pale as a ghost, no less.

I think I must have been the luckiest bride alive in the fact that he was the one waiting for me to approach up there by the railing! Questionable luck, of course, considering that moments ago I felt like that instead of stepping through the door, I was stepping into my coffin...

The luckiest bride…corpse. Whatever, at least he was there. The color drained from his face, he looked just as terrified as me, something I noted with sadistic pleasure. So, I see he finally realized exactly what he convinced me into!

But at the sight of me, all panic left his face. I don't know what he was thinking, but suddenly he smiled in recognition (quite a feat in that outfit, I must say). The same warm, charming grin that made me fall in love with him...

Wow, I was being super-cheesy. And I didn't give one damn about it.

I did not need any more pushing from Claudia at my back, my feet carrying me towards him themselves. When I took my place beside him, I realized with relief that I could finally feel my legs again. Hell, my tongue too, as I was beginning to get worried that I wouldn't be able to speak the vows properly.

Sister Teodora, looking slightly torn between being disgruntled at the violation of rules and feeling pleased at herself and the situation, began the ceremony.

Or at least she tried to.

I didn't realize immediately what was happening. One moment, things were still going fine. People were still quietly laughing while remembering the horrified look on my face when I came out of the doors, Claudia got a hold of her baby boy and was cooing over him while sending me occasional glares of warning, and Adel was rubbing at her cheek, hastily trying to get some dried cream from the cake off.

Everything suddenly went deathly silent for a few moments, the distinctive sound of blades being drawn inexplicably ringing in my ears. I shifted my eyebrows together, looking up at Ezio with surprise, but he was looking around with the same confusion. The sound of blades was now coming from our guests, my mind screaming with warning as we both caught the tangy, acrid whiff of danger.

Out of the two of us standing at the makeshift altar, I reacted a split second earlier when I saw the first unfriendly scowl in the crowd. I made a lunge towards him, almost forgetting about my heels and dress. Before he could realize what was happening, I snatched his drawn dagger out of his hand, slamming it into his throat without hesitation.

And then? Well, all hell _broke loose._

Villagers began to shriek as the dead man fell to the ground, Ezio literally leaping across the rails and down the stairs as I took a defensive crouch, the sense of impending doom forcing me compensate for the unwieldy nature of my clothes. All the Assassins present followed my example, though not before yelling for the citizens to flee as they oriented themselves into a defensive circle, almost too fast to see. Within seconds, we were all surrounded by...

Normal people.

_No, not normal__,_ I thought grimly. Their clothes may have been ordinary, but I had never seen anyone with such glazed over eyes and blankly aggressive expressions. They all wielded similar swords, which they held with in amateur grips. But they left no doubt to their intentions.

Mario yanked Adel inside the circle we formed, much to her protest, and Caterina ushered her own family to the villa, fortunately staying there with them.

"I am _so_ glad I didn't miss this wedding now," I heard Bartolomeo growl, though I did not share his feelings on this one...

* * *

"Do you realize what just happened?"

Ezio really never knew that Eden could screech so loudly. He looked her over, from the bleeding cut on her cheek and her tangled hair, to her slashed dress and bloody sword. He quickly came to the conclusion that things were not too bad, and she was more angry than in physical pain.

"Yes, I was there," he muttered defensively, completely understanding her fury at the ruined wedding.

"I don't think you do! Those idiots were trying to capture me!" she pointed to the slice over her neck where one of the men attempted to make a grab for her, "To hold _me_ over _you_! Do you not realize that?"

"_Amore," _he murmured, moving to her side and attempting to put an arm about her waist, "There is no way they could have ever gotten their hands on you. Even if they hadn't miscalculated, I'm sure that-"

"We couldn't even have _one _normal freaking day to get married without getting attacked!" she snapped, shoving back away from him.

His confusion was beginning to grow and he stiffened. "Eden…don't you think you're overreacting-?" She stared at him for a long moment, eyes wide and distant, only to then turn and began silently walking away. "Hey! Come now, where are you going?"

"This isn't going to work, Ezio," she growled angrily over her shoulder.

"Listen, we just have get cleaned up and get this place in order, and-"

"No, I mean _this_," she strangled, voice rising, "This marriage!" she frantically waved her arms about. "Don't you get it?" she paused to stare at him as he felt his stomach drop, "This entire relationship can bring us both down, something that'd been proven on many occasions. It can kill us, even." Her gaze was looking everywhere but him, seeming to focus on finding any more potential attackers. "I'm sorry Ezio, but this is…this…I _can't…_this is just…the last straw," she spoke almost apologetically as she continued to walk away.

Ezio was left staring after her, trying to digest what he had just heard. Did she just...

...call off the wedding?

"Those bastards could not wait five minutes, could they?" Claudia grumbled somewhere beside him, still trying to calm down her crying son at the same time as directing the clean up of the bodies.

"I should go…talk to her...?" Ezio asked no one in particular in a lost voice. However, Claudia quickly saw the way his fists were clenching and unclenching at his sides his fingers flexing and twitching. In other words, absolutely itching for a weapon. His checks were beginning to turn crimson, and he snapped his mouth shut, a thin line of mounting fury. His eyes were narrowed, glittering golden and sharp. Reaching out, she gently took his hand in hers, refusing to let go, even as he flinched at her touch.

"Are you kidding? Ezio, I know you're her best friend, but she sort of needs girlfriend right now," Diana put a hand on his shoulder.

"Yes, because you did such a _lovely_ job the first time," he nearly snarled, easily ducking out of her grasp as he remembered what happened the last time the courtesan meddled; Eden nearly left Venice completely to get away from him.

"That was a low blow, if ever saw one, brother," Claudia quietly spoke, "And no, she's right." Head whipping around, his gaze was confused, as though seeing her for the first time. Arching a brow, he gave her a noncommittal shrug, though he tried to yank his hand out of hers.

"I don't think so," Claudia steadily commanded, fingers tightening around his with lightening fast reflexes. She handed Federico off to Adel so that she could wave her hands around at Bartolomeo, who was staring at the large bouquet in his arms with confusion. Eden had shoved it into his hands at one point or another, and now it was looking very out of place in his bear-like arms. "If she had a mother or a sister around, it would be perfect, but considering the circumstances-"

"We also might need someone who can handle her if she's going berserk," Ezio muttered lowly, "She gets a bit violent when upset."

"I'll go," Mario bravely suggested, everyone present looking at the man with some doubt. "And I'll take Adel with me."

That confused everyone further, but Claudia suddenly nodded, momentarily dropping her brother's hand and taking her son back from Adel. The girl broke into a run, already catching up with Mario.

"We have to train her for dangerous, unpredictable situations, so this is perfect," La Volpe commented to their backs.

Meanwhile, Claudia took Ezio by the wrist and pulled him with her. "Let's go find the nearest tavern._"_

"Why the hell do we need to-?"

"NOW, EZIO."

* * *

I hit my fist on the stone wall.

It didn't help, my hand just began to hurt. But the frustration and bitter sadness was still echoing in my head, refusing to budge and allow reason and logic in.

_Why did I ever agree to this?_

If those lunatics succeeded in taking me hostage, what would have happened? They nearly did, too, because my movement was restricted and painful thanks to the dress and shoes. If La Volpe didn't throw that knife from behind, the madman could have very well dragged me off to wherever! And then there was no doubt that Ezio would do something noble and extremely stupid!

"Why the hell did we allow it to come this far?" I tried to punch the wall again, but stopped at the last moment, sparing my knuckles and allowing my arm to drop.

"Eden!" I blinked, looking around - I didn't expect anyone to come look for me this soon. Adel ran into me at full speed, throwing her arms around my waist. I had to take a small step back as to not fall. "You can't just leave Ezio like that!"

"She's right," Mario crossed his arms, surveying me with his one good eye, "I figured you'd enjoy adding spice to that party, like Bartolomeo."

"Spice!" I snorted, "That was not the seasoning I had in mind for my wedding! Me possibly running away on my own accord? I would have expected that, though you and Claudia made that thought impossible. The cake being half-eaten by the children before we got to it? Totally anticipated. A dozen of charmed lunatics coming to capture me as a hostage and ultimately kill us all? Oh, wait a minute," I frantically waved my arms about, "_I don't have a contingency plan for that!"_

I completely ignored tears threatening to spill down my heated cheeks…why the fuck was I starting to cry any damn way? It's not like I hadn't been through worse….

"Is it wrong that I wanted a single normal day in my life?" I bellowed.

"No, of course not. But Eden," Mario paternally patted my on the shoulder, "We're assassins before we are normal people. You should be used to that already."

"Seriously!" I snapped, "I don't ask for much. All I wanted was one day. ONE. DAY. And I can't even get that much? So much for Altair's theory, then," I rolled my eyes. "I can't fucking believe-"

"You're being weird," Adel informed me, sternly planting her fists into her hips, "Don't you love Ezio?"

"I do, without question-"

"Then why are you calling everything off because of a tiny little setback?"

"And have you even thought about my nephew's feelings?" Mario joined in on the guilt trip. "From Giovanni's letters, I was beginning to think the boy was never going to find a girl he could marry. What, with him being, well, Ezio. Then he finally somehow manages to work himself up to surprise us all, and you are going to just…_ditch him?_"

I slowly looked between them, and suddenly realized that the two were people who should never be allowed to bond, Adel and Mario, we doing just that. The world was going crazy after all.

And who the hell was I to disappoint? Besides, where would the fun be in that?

* * *

"Alright, let's get this over with before some more jackasses show up to ruin everything!" I marched up the stone rails with determination. Everyone was still present, and staring at Mario and Adel as if looking for any hints of violence before they then settled their eyes back on me. Ezio, who was sitting hunched on the stone railing, perked up as Claudia looked up to heaven and mumbled something.

I let out a _huge _sigh of relief at still finding him there. And not looking quite as pissed at me as I would be with myself…"Teodora, mind picking it back up where we left off?" I called out.

"Not at all," the nun, smiling widely, took her original place.

"Right. Someone, find those rings…Bartolomeo, throw that monstrosity out, you look really silly…and someone please get this away from me?" I handed the stolen sword that I was still holding to the nearest maid, who was just finishing up with the last of the bloodstains. Lisa, though looking thoroughly calm about the bloodied weapon, still held it with only her fingers at arms-length as she took it away.

I stretched my hands out to Ezio, who looked at me thoughtfully for a moment, though I could see the relief in his eyes. Then he gave me a boyish grin, to which I replied, and stood up.

"Sorry," I muttered, letting me pull me into him as he took my hands, "For everything. I swear to God, I never meant to worry you-"

"You can beg forgiveness all you wish…in our wedding bed," he smirked, giving my hand a quick squeeze of reassurance. "I hope," he whispered against my ear, "That you got plenty of sleep last night. Because you're certainly not getting _any_ after I'm done with you."

I brightened, a weight lifted from my shoulders as I pinched him in his side, causing him to bite back a yelp of surprise, "Oh, I like the way you think, _signore_."

"Get used to it, _bella_," he chuckled.

Okay... maybe this was not the wedding I expected. With the battered dress, bloody cuts, messy hair and slight adrenaline still present in all the remaining guests. But then I realized I really couldn't care less. Nor could Ezio.

"Shortened version this time," I muttered to Teodora as we took our places.

"Before someone attacks and the bride tries to run off again," Ezio couldn't help but add.

"Then we'll skip right to the vows. Ezio, you first." Everyone stared at him expectantly.

Nodding, he took a deep breath, never letting go of my hands as he began. "Eden, I love you. And I will kill anyone who tries to capture or kill you, _si?_ So just please stop running off like that, because it's becoming a bad habit," Ezio told me tiredly, though still wearing the same smirk. "Deal?"

I suddenly realized I did not remember even a word of the ritual vows that Claudia tried to push into my head a week before. So I decided to improvise, too.

"You really suck," I assured him, shooting him a teasing glare, "But amazingly enough, I believe you. And every other promise you made me, including the ten pounds of chocolate and five bouquets of sunflowers. How you're going to fulfill those promises is your problem. But I promise I'll try not to run out like a little coward anymore."

Teodora stepped in again, not even thinking about scolding us for such straying from the ceremony. "Do you take each other, in sickness and in health, during war and peace, until death and beyond, as fate and God shall decide?"

"I do, and like hell you'll get rid of me now," I grinned.

"Wouldn't dream of it…I do," he nodded.

My hands didn't shake like I expected them to. And to my own amazement, I managed to put the ring on his finger from the first attempt, as he put his on mine.

The simple, gold ring became all but welded onto my ring finger. Just over the burned seal of Assassins, the extra weight felt surprisingly pleasant.

Teodora, with much pleasure and relief, allowed him to kiss the former-bride-made-wife and finally finish this entire nerve-wrecking occasion.

I had no veil to speak of, so he simply leaned down, capturing my lips gently, sliding his arms around my waist. I kissed him back, of course, sealing the agreement. In front of his family, the townspeople, and the other Assassins. In front of our most dear and closest friends.

And I did not feel at all sorry for any of it.

For right now, we could simply enjoy this day and the years to come. If only because as today proved, we still had larger, darker concerns to deal with. This was not the end of the attacks, all of us knew. It was only a matter of time before things would once again take a familiar turn, and we'd be pushed into another hunt, into another struggle, and back into this bizarre plot we followed and weaved.

But not today.

* * *

**A/N- **Once again, this is not the end. But I'm afraid that the next chapter will be after the ten-year time skip, because I feel like I've strayed from the plot far enough. There are a few side stories I've written that happen during the break that I'll be posting in a separate story, hopefully filling in the gaps that I'm making here. But in this main story, I'm heading straight to the Bonfires of the Vanities.

So, next time, be prepared for a few unfamiliar faces and other huge developments... Hopefully not too big. Those confuse the hell out of everyone, including me...


	45. Chapter 44

**A/N- **I have a few things to say.

First of all, I will write the incident with James in the separate story, when I shall explain him and exactly how everything was ruled out. But I would just like to mention a few things so there is no confusion.

James is from a mixed family of an Englishman and an Italian farmer's daughter, and the father got to name the child. He himself has never seen England, which is why he introduces himself as James of Florence, as he was born and lived most of his life there. He became a bounty hunter when he very foolishly went after the bounty on Ezio's head, and attempted to hold Eden hostage, miscalculating by a mile on that account. That's about all you need to know for now, except one more thing- he was eighteen when Adel was twelve, which would make him around twenty eight now.

This chapter is dedicated to Laurie Moore, who was my best fried of nearly three years. "Was" being the key word, as she has died last night. She was a special and inspiring young woman who I loved with all my heart. It's only sad that she was less than honest with me for the past few months, or this might not have come to pass...

Mourning will not affect my writing in any way, as I have already written all the chapters to the end out, and frankly, I'm already past the crying and onto the "Stare blankly at the wall for hours" and the "breaking anything that meets my hands" phases. I ask only that no one tells me how sorry they feel for my loss, because it makes me feel uncomfortable and awkward, and routine phrases will not make things any better for anyone anyway.

So please, just enjoy the chapter.

* * *

**Firenze, 1497  
**

"Did you hear?" The old man behind the bar muttered to the only client that was at a table.

The reason the tavern was so empty was because not many people even came out of their houses any more. Aside from the most fearless or stupid ones, it was rare to see anyone going out to drink. And only the most suicidal people risked running a tavern these days. But the old barkeeper had five mouths to feed, so the "Dragon's Lodge" was about the only pub and inn running in all of Firenze. It was a blessing that it was still undiscovered, he thought for the hundredth time, or they would have ransacked it long ago.

"What?" the man at the table in front of him looked up with a raised eyebrow, staring at him wearily. A mercenary, the barkeep decided. Or a bounty hunter, which seemed more likely. He was dressed in leather armor, light and durable, though slightly battered, showing off the hard lifestyle of the man. Not to mention, he had much lighter weapons on him than your average soldier, and many of them. He looked somewhere between thirty and forty, with days old stubble covering his chin. Three scars were all crossing on one cheek, one going deeply over his nose, causing his breathing to be slow and loud. His eyes were a stormy gray, staring out at the world with a cynicism and irony that made his true age almost impossible to determine.

He did not look like a son of Italia, however, though he had no accent when he spoke. There was no way of truly determining of his nationality, so the barkeep didn't bother trying.

"There's word on the street that the assassins came back to Firenze," the barkeep shrugged. All of a sudden, the younger man smirked, letting out a hoarse chuckle.

"They're myths and rumors, nothing more." The man seemed truthful, but the older man's experience with people allowed him to see through the lie. He didn't bother to call him out on it. Everyone was allowed secrets, and the barkeep did not need trouble right now.

"Well, that's not true. I remember the Pazzi...and I remember who was defending Lorenzo Il Magnifico, may his soul rest peacefully! And my niece sent word from Venice but a fortnight ago; said she saw them plain as day!"

The bounty hunter shrugged, not replying and just taking a long drink from his glass of wine. Last bottle, too, considering all of the tavern's supplies could never have lasted more than a year. Not with the current parody of a government sticking their murderous noses into everything.

"Wonder were they've been all those years," he barkeep mused with slight distaste, "If they're coming to help, then they're late by a half a decade..."

The door suddenly opened with a screech, and both the men present looked around in alarm. The barkeep saw the mercenary's hand fly to the pommel of his sword, he himself reaching under the counter for a dagger he'd taken to keeping there for a chance at protection. For the only people that were wandering the streets were guards, so they had reasons for their caution.

But the visitor wasn't a guard. It was a young woman dressed in white and red robes, with tight leggings and heeled boots made of dark leather. Beneath the robes she wore a red silken doublet, shot through with gold threads and laced up over a white tunic. About her waist was a black sash, tied closed with an intricate, silver buckle. A masterfully done bracer covered her right forearm, but that was about the only armor on her. Golden hair showed from underneath her hood, for some reason loose about her shoulders and glittering in the faint light of the room.

As she threw her hood back and nearly glided towards the table with nary a sound, the barkeep's jaw nearly dropped as he stared at her face.

In his life, he has seen a lot of women. Some of them could be considered beautiful, but most were simply plain. Even the courtesans never had a true charm to him, as they painted their faces thickly. And no matter how they tried to hide it, he could see their weary, tired and empty stares that summoned his pity rather than lust. He has also seen plenty of noble women as well. But they were little better, with their noses stuck up in the air and a dozen body guards that were necessary to simply walk down a street. Especially nowadays.

But the stranger was much different. Though she was of ripe age she showed no signs of pregnancy, no engagement seal about her signaling her impending marriage. Yet she was absolutely stunning in every sense of the word. She had a straight forward, obvious kind of beauty, with high cheekbones, fair skin and arched eyebrows that gave her a strangely mischievous air. Her thick eyelashes darkened and her lips painted with very light lipstick were the only sign of makeup on her face. Her icy blue eyes were surprisingly warmer than their color and her appearance, sparkling with laughter, her full lips spread in a slight smile.

"What was that about assassins?" the bounty hunter threw to the barkeep, who was trying to collect his jaw off the floor. "Wait, don't tell me," he nodded at the woman, "You must be Adelaide, of course."

She smiled wide, cocking her head slightly and raising an elegant eyebrow. She looked surprised to see the man, though barely showed it. "Have we met-?" At his nod, she let out a thoughtful hum, sitting down beside him. "You seem familiar, but..."

"I suppose you wouldn't remember a laughable bounty hunter that tried to bite off more than he could chew."

Her eyelashes flew up. "Ah! James!" She suddenly ran her eyes over him in shock. "Amazing, and there I thought you were rotting in the first ditch you fell into after our last meeting."

"I was close to it a few times," James admitted without smiling. "Actually, last I saw you, you were only twelve or so."

"And you were eighteen and barely good enough to be anything other than a farmer," she snorted cheekily. "I see that's changed..." her eyes slipped over his armor and weapons with an expert gaze. Without warning, James felt slightly uneasy, as if in just one look she found all the weak spots in his defense. "Eden will be pleasantly surprised that her words only worked to motivate you."

"She's still alive? Amazing, with that sharp tongue of hers, I would have imagined someone would have already killed her."

"There were volunteers, of course, but Ezio would rather die himself than allow her to come to harm. And she isn't defenseless, either," Adel swiftly defended her teacher, narrowing her eyes slightly.

"I remember," James smirked wolfishly. "The one time she held me off the roof by my throat was enough of a demonstration."

"It was your own fault."

"Yes, it was. She taught me a valuable lesson back then...I should probably thank her," the man admitted with a smile, "Though eight years ago, I would have rather drove a knife into my heart than say it."

The barkeep stopped understanding anything, and just asked if the lady wanted anything. She glanced thoughtfully at the wine glass, but then shook her head.

"So. What brings you here? Doubt you were looking for me," James wondered.

"I wasn't. I didn't even know you were still alive," she shrugged lightly. "We simply heard that this was the only tavern left open in all of Firenze, and I've come to see if someone can properly tell us what's happening. Considering the last tavern I tried was nothing but a smoldering ruin, I figured if there was one open, it would have sane people in it."

"What's happening? Have you been living under a rock?" the bounty hunter couldn't hold a skeptical chuckle. "Bloody chaos is what's happening. It all started with Lorenzo's death and the attack from France that drove Piero out."

"I know that part," Adelaide waived her hand in the air. "I've was there to help escort Piero out of the city and to Venice. Though that was more out a favor Ezio felt he owed Piero's father," Adelaide curled her lip in distaste. It was no secret that Piero di'Medici was sorely lacking in the governance and strategy skills his father drove himself to perfect in his fierce devotion to Firenze and her people. Somewhere along the way, Piero never took it upon himself to learn from the fine examples of his ancestors. Hence, he was driven from the city, the Florentines enraged by his lack of will to properly fight the French and defend them. "I'm more curious about _now_," Adelaide continued.

"That monk, Savonarola," James talked freely with the woman, not minding the barkeep behind the table, "He began to take control of Florence. Mad as a hatter, I say, with all the books and art burning.. Food has been withheld, soldiers oppress citizens to turn in everything they have deemed 'sinful,' and they banish anyone who does not agree with them from Florence. Though many times it gets worse and they force them into the fires, along with the books. The worst part of it? Everyone supports him with both arms, legs and anything else they can lift in the air."

The bounty hunter took a small pause to finish up the wine, pushing the glass away. Adelaide was listening with a serious expression, slightly squinting her eyes in thought. "His endless sermons do something to the people...it's hard to explain, but it's like he gets inside their heads somehow, making them think that his insanity is the will of God."

"And you, of course, aren't affected?" she asked with a raised of the eyebrow, looking curious.

The bounty hunter just grinned. "I'm not foolish enough to stare at the glowing thing in the madman's hands. The one time I did was a good enough lesson."

"Well you're just learning so much recently," she laughed beautifully, folding her hands on her lap. "That is interesting, though..." She delicately folded her hands under her chin. Even with her outfit and the mark of Assassins on her hip, not to mention a hint of a decent sized dagger on one side of her sash, she seemed infinitely fragile, much like the china doll that she resembled. However, her confidence and calmly calculating stare clashed with the image. Suddenly James had no doubt that if she wanted to, she could take him by the hair and bash his head into the floor a few times, likely hard enough to crack his skull.

He imagined the situation, and shivered.

Assassins...all he needed to do was remember the... _welcome_ that Eden Cleare – or rather, Eden Auditore as she'd been known for last ten years, gave him when he first met them. The girl seemed much like her, along with a healthy dose of Ezio's complete self-confidence. No matter how fragile those women looked, James knew first hand they could give any mercenary or guard in the city, or even the papal guards a run for their money...

"And what are you doing back in the city? Passing through, or did you finally realize what's happening here?"

"_Please_." Adel gave him a smile many men would kill to have directed at them. Even James, having been through a lot in the last rather exciting decade, felt his breath catch, "We knew."

She always said "we" as though it was completely natural. James briefly wondered if under the thick glove on her left hand a burn mark could be seen, like the one on Eden's and Ezio's...

"Then what the hell kept you?" he couldn't hold back a growl. She looked completely unfazed, though she did hesitate before answering.

"We... well. There was a lot going on. But believe me, we didn't sit with our hands folded throughout the decade."

"I can see that," he snorted, turning away from her. She was so different than the twelve year old girl he had first seen. Back then, he barely spared her a glance, only finding himself surprised and a little angry that a little girl would be trained to be a professional killer. After a few years, of course, he realized that sometimes such measures were necessary, and that the world was not black and white as he foolishly believed at the age of eighteen.

Now, however, the young woman- well, she didn't scare him, but alerted him, forcing him to watch her every movement. She was much older, much more beautiful, smart and dangerous. Someone that he definitely had to account for, and that unnerved him slightly. He was not used to waiting for danger from females. After all, it has been eight years since his encounter with Eden.

"How long have you been an assassin?"

"Three years," she raised her chin with pride. "Now. If there is nothing else, I should be getting back before Eden sends out a search party. She's been slightly paranoid for some reason ever since we entered the city. Ezio was acting strange, too."

"I'll walk you," he muttered, getting up and slapping down a few florins onto the table. They were swiped within moments by the forgotten barkeep.

"No need," she grinned, though there was something steely in that smile.

"Yes there is," he argued. "How long have you been out on practice, Adelaide?"

"Longer than you can imagine," she snorted, "But I began to receive proper contracts and jobs five years ago."

"Yet you weren't named an assassin until two years later?" he raised a skeptical eyebrow, walking out the door.

"That's not how it works," she wrinkled her nose very slightly, following him.

Firenze had seen better days, to say the least. It'd lost its brightness, its mass of crowds that pushed along the avenues, the laughing children that followed their families about, the calling merchants and proud nobles. Even the thieves and courtesans seemed to have all but disappeared. Streets were all but deserted, except for the clashing of blades that seemed to be coming from everywhere. Alexander VI had sent his troops to try and capture Savonarola, but so far they'd only been successful in driving even the bravest citizens into their homes.

Of course, it wasn't completely empty. Shadows of marauders and looters could be seen in the alleys, looking for another hurriedly deserted home to rob. The homeless people that had not left Florence yet squatted in abandoned buildings, praying with all their might that they would not be noticed. The city smelled of smoke through and through, the fires happening almost on every square, day and night.

"Well, I'd really rather not explain to Eden and Ezio how their student accidentally ran into a large group of guards and tragically died before she could even squeak," James assured Adel that his suggestion had nothing to do with chivalry or courting. She humphed, looking up at him and somehow completely disregarding their difference in height.

"And you think you could hold out longer?"

"I have," he just shrugged, and she found nothing more to say to that. She only looked at his face for a long moment, and then turned away, looking forward. "Where are you staying? I'd prefer to take you there by alternative routes, as the main streets are a bit riskier at the moment."

* * *

"It's good to be home, no?" I muttered thoughtfully, dumping my bag onto the bed and stretching.

"Of course," Ezio nodded with a small smile in response to my grin, though moments earlier, he was as dark as a storm cloud ready to burst into a downpour. No wonder, considering the sad state we found Firenze in. While he fled the city so many years, ago, it was still his initial home. As well as the ancestral home of his family, going back quite a few generations. False accusations or not, this place was first in his heart. So to see the city in such disarray, the people either charmed into zombie-like submission, or terrified for their lives caused him untold grief. No matter how well he tried to hide it and press on, I could see it reflected in his eyes every so often, especially during his rare moments of silence. Though never one for empty words, I made sure I stayed close to him, my off-handed touches and the usual irreverent musings hopefully helping to soothe the ache.

"I really wish it wasn't this far gone at the time of our arrival," I sighed.

"You don't say?" he muttered, taking moment to draw back the dusty curtain and look out the window, taking in the deserted streets once again.

Dropping a hand on his forearm in understanding, I brightened, "But hey, at least they didn't get in here just yet." Glancing around the room thoughtfully, I added, "Did you really grow up here?"

"Of course...why would you think otherwise?" he bit the hook with a small sigh.

"It's rather big. Compensating, are we?"

The next moment my legs were swept from under me, and the floor rushed to meet my head with frightening speed. Faster than I could let out a gasp of alarm, Ezio's arm caught me an inch away, allowing me a moment to stare at the carpet with huge eyes before he brought me back up to his face, smirking.

"Not fair!" I whined, "I thought we agreed that you would stop doing that!"

"I'm sorry, _amore_, but even after ten years, it never gets old," he laughed at my glare, hurrying to soothe my wrath with a kiss, "Among other things..."

"We just got here, Adel got lost, and you only have one thing on your mind, you old pervert!" I kicked my legs for a good measure so he had no doubt that I was against it. "Mph- Not to mention, I'm the only person in this city keeping up a cheerful atmosphere!"

He pulled away, looking at me with reproach. "You don't have to remind me, you know."

"Put me down! We have work to do!" I demanded. But he not only did not oblige, but also threw me over this shoulder so he could hold my legs from kicking. Moments later, he put me down in a bathtub that was in the room beside the bedroom. "Is that a hint?"

"Yes. I'll bring you a pillow if you'd like," he offered with a smirk, and I growled at him, jumping to my feet.

Ezio was saved just in time by the new arrival.

"Getting comfortable?"

"Look who it is!" I exclaimed, quickly focusing on Adel, "Our best and only student, our pride and joy, the closest thing I have to a daughter! Darling, sweetheart, love, where the hell did you go?"

"Obviously not on a date...I was just looking around."

It became almost a routine suggestion in our little strange family. Adel, though extremely beautiful and charming by this age, with everyone wrapped tightly around her finger, had never gone on even a single date. The reasons were simple - she had no time, no desire, and no need. Though requests for her hand in marriage came to us almost monthly since she turned sixteen, and in certain cases we had to physically push the love-struck grooms out the doors and down the staircase, she solidly refused each of them. She didn't even entertain the idea of a healthy romance once in a while, either believing the boys in town beneath her, or perhaps simply unimpressed by their cat calls and their pathetic attempts at flexing as she passed by.

Though it was slightly her fault for showing off every curve of her body with fitted robes and keeping her hair down. Whenever we suggested that she'd wear blood-caked rags and cut her hair to cut the problems at the root, she just laughed, and replied that she would not hide herself just for the sake of some boys with an overactive imagination.

Clearly, she spent too much time with me...

"Thought there was one rather irritating guy around..."

"Ezio, call a doctor! If we have another broken groin on our hands, like hell I'm taking responsibility again. Who is the poor chap?"

"I suppose that would be me."

The reaction to the unfamiliar voice and footsteps was instant. My hand flashed to the nearest knife, and Ezio steadied his left arm, ready to drive the hidden blade into the intruder's face.

"I told you to stay out," Adel told the man disapprovingly, casting him a glance over her shoulder, "See how they react? Some people never live through the little surprises."

"I simply had to meet them again." The man that appeared outside the door looked almost thoroughly unfamiliar to me, though his gray eyes reminded me of someone. "Madonna Auditore, you did not change at all over the years, it seems," he paid me a double-sided compliment, picking up my hand and bringing it to his lips. Ezio shifted his eyebrows together. The room cooled about a hundred degrees.

"Either you tell us who the hell you are, or I rip your face off," I growled lowly, my voice holding more danger that the man could ever hope to achieve.

"I'm almost hurt you don't remember me. Then again, I was only a nameless the son of a farmer who naively thought he could get the better of you..."

I blinked, glancing first to Ezio, then to Adel. Ezio shrugged, Adel just rolled her eyes.

"Do you realize just how many of those I've seen in my lifetime? Yeah, I've got nothing."

The man stepped back with a small smile. "Then I'll repeat the introduction. James of Florence, as they say here, bounty hunter and mercenary, at your service."

"James? The little boy that foolishly attempted to put a knife to my wife's throat?" Ezio looked almost amazed.

"I was lucky she did not kill me right there, actually, or I would not be talking to you right now," James shrugged.

"I'll say," I snorted, "What the hell happened to you?"

"Life," he calmly replied. Hm, and to think that eight years ago, at any question from me, his face would change a few colors according to his emotions- anger, fear, humiliation... Not a trace of it was left on his aged face. Seems like time doesn't spare anyone... "Though I must thank you, because I don't think I would have received the proper...motivation if I had not met you."

Slowly, I lifted my hands, and clapped a few times, slowly, and almost mockingly. "So you proved me wrong. So what, did you come to repeat the attempt on my life?"

"I gave that thought up a while ago," he simply rolled his eyes cynically.

"Good, you wouldn't live through another encounter," Ezio muttered. "Adel, where did you even find him?"

"I ran into him in the tavern, and he told me all that was happening in the city," Adel informed us. "Seems that he's been here since the beginning of troubles. You know Paola can't get much snooping done while her hands are tied, and La Volpe has been trying to keep the underworld under control. So, I found you an informant!" She looked at us, as if expecting praise, but we waited with that, still rather cautious.

"So can we get to work, then?" James asked almost wearily, likely getting tired of watching our hands tensing on our weapons.

"What are you talking of?" Ezio raised his eyebrow, not rushing to relax his grip on the hilt of his sword. I perfectly understood his hesitation - while the Apple was in the hands of that madman, we couldn't trust anyone, old acquaintances or not.

"Savonarola! Or have you come here on other business?" By the way our expressions began even more grim and serious, James correctly deducted that we were indeed back in Firenze because of the insane monk.

"Can we trust him?" I asked Ezio. Only to be sure, as I felt aura of an ally aura around James myself. After a few moments, Ezio gave me a short nod.

"Adel?" I glanced at her. She thought for a second.

"If he wanted to harm us, he would have at least tried to kill me after I told him where I was heading, and come after you. He's not a spy, he seems totally in control of his mind, and he did get us out of a tricky spot on the way," she reported flawlessly, not even thinking of covering up details or denying his protection.

"Well, it won't make things any worse. Adel, send out a message to Niccolo, La Volpe and Paola," Ezio asked of her as we walked down the stairs. The girl- no, woman (she was now as old as I was when I appeared in Florence, I had to remember) smiled, nodding and lightly walked out the front doors. "James is right, it's time to get to business."

A half an hour later, all of the unofficial Assassin leaders of Firenze were seated in the large office that used to belong to Ezio's father.

We got the palazzo back during the short rule of Piero de'Medici, who was more than eager to help out his father's saviors and friends, considering the shaky ground he soon found himself governing on. We hired a few workers and a maid, who had the entire house back into shape in no time at all. We also spared no expense in its security. Thankfully, that made it one of the only buildings in Florence not yet ransacked and raided by the invading French, and later, by Savonarola's men. We also decided it was a convenient location for headquarters, as it was located almost in dead center of the city.

Not to mention, we already began to gather certain things into the secret room where Ezio found his father's armor. For now, Eve's necklace and a few documents were the only things in there. But we already planned certain expansions to the place to leave the heirloom there after we...retired. I knew my sister and Jake would eventually find it, passing it on in case we still had a surviving line.

Not that we'd be able to really continue the line any time soon. Knowing Templars, it will still be a while before we could have even a few years of proper peace, without regular attacks, expeditions, jobs and contracts that filled up our time in all the years since our wedding. Though to me, the end was so near I could almost taste it, what with all the codex pages gathered and the Apple nearly within our grasp. Yet something told me that the enemy would not leave us alone, even after all of this.

I snapped out of my thoughts just as La Volpe entered the office through the window, so casually as if he had done it thousands of times. Likely he had, considering he also knew and closely worked with Giovanni Auditore. Paola was already seated, her hands folded on her lap and her posture likely the envy of many noblewomen. Niccolo was spreading out a map of Florence on the cleared table with Ezio's help, pressing down the corners with books.

Ten years had changed them all, though in almost untraceable ways. Niccolo, being younger than Ezio, had barely aged, though he now bore a slightly harsher look in his eyes. His new habit of going into thoughtful silences also lent him a maturity far beyond his years. Paola was beginning to get wisps of gray hair throughout her dark locks, which she carefully covered with dye, and there were a few more lines along her face. Her bright clothes were changed to more humble ones seen among regular citizens, allowing her better blending. After all, since her brothel was shut down, she had to move very far underground.

La Volpe didn't look as if he had changed at all, his violet eyes still sparkling with their usual laughter, the rest of his face concealed by the bronze hood of his robes.

The years were kind to all of us, I noted. I, only having hit thirty three some time last spring, still felt young and full of energy, thanks to the frequent practice and work. Ezio hardly changed at all either, except for the fact that the laugh lines on his face became more pronounced and his hair had blackened completely. Not to mention, the maturity he developed towards such things as strategy and planning. He realized quickly that it was no longer about revenge, and there were greater things at stake.

Actually, Adel and James were the only people in the room that'd undergone such dramatic changes over the decade. Both evolved into something very different than their previous selves, and both matured beyond belief in all senses. Admittedly, I had an occasional bitter thought as I watched Adel, sometimes feeling like one of those old ladies that watched her grandchildren shoot through the years. After all, it was with children that one could really see the passage of time.

"Savonarola is seated in the Palazzo de Pitti," Niccolo stated, placing the makeshift markers (Chess pieces. Savonarola got the king, being our main target) onto the map. "It is heavily guarded, and even harder to lay siege to than the Palazzo Ducale of Venice, due to the lack of courtyard." He glanced at Ezio meaningfully, and I couldn't hold back a snort.

"We have to get him to come out, then," Paola nodded, "Out in the open, he would be a much easier target."

"Don't forget, he has the Apple," Ezio countered, "And we still don't know completely what it's capable of."

"He can't charm everyone." Adel was standing in the corner, feeding bits of meat to Sokolo. Perched on her wrist, the golden eagle was eating with pleasure, in return allowing her to gently run her fingers through the feathers. The giant bird looked very out of place on her slim, gloved wrist, yet she held him with a practiced grip.

"The size of the crowd doesn't matter," James corrected her. He was nearest to her, but staring at the bird with outright distrust and concern, edging away every few seconds. "The only drawback for him of the thing he uses is that there is no way he can influence the entire city at once. Maybe because they can't see it, or because he can't handle such a large number of people. There's bound to be slip ups."

"It would take too much time and energy to keep all of them under control," Niccolo nodded. "That's why he brainwashed only certain influential people, who, in turn force the civilians into obedience."

"So we have to take them out first," La Volpe cocked his head slightly, watching Sokole's meal with interest.

"How many are there?"

"Eight or nine. Here," Paola stood up, approaching the map and taking some of the chess pieces into her hands, "There's a priest singing passages from the Bible in Latin up at the very top of the Duomo."

"I heard him as we passed," Adel nodded. "Has a pretty voice, and it really carries, but the passages were not the most kind. More importantly, there are three guards on each side, two bellow the dome, and one patrolling the platform."

"Getting to it unnoticed could prove a challenge," I noted.

"Nothing I can't handle," Ezio smirked confidently.

"Moving on...some insane nobleman has been preaching to the people from the roofs. He's likely to make a run for it as soon as he senses danger, so we absolutely cannot allow him to escape and raise the alarm."

"Charmed or not, the nobles remain cowards," James scratched his stubble. With age, even he could not escape the daily male ritual of shaving, something he was neglecting recently. "And they can run nearly just as fast as us. He would likely head towards the Pitti."

"I resent that," Ezio rolled his eyes, "But you're right. All we have to do is remember our good friend Vieri de'Pazzi. Or his father," he nearly growled.

"Again, we can't have him alerting Savonarola...Eden, think you can catch him in time?" Niccolo glanced at me. I smiled confidently in return. Out of everyone present and matching Ezio, I was the fastest. Well, except for perhaps La Volpe, who I was still itching to race against. But now was really not the time to think on that…

I threw a glance to the map, calculating the distance from the district to the Palazzo de'Pitti, and nodded. "He won't even realize I'm there. And if he does, I have plenty of time to catch him again."

"Good," Paola nodded. "Hm. The head doctor in the hospital is refusing to give medical aid to the citizens until they accept Savonarola's rule." Paola placed another piece on the map, not too far away from her brothel. "He's an easier target, as there are plenty of rebelling crowds that are begging him for medicine. So blending in would pose no challenge. His speeches are early in the morning and then late in the afternoon." Ezio and I nodded, silently agreeing we'd determine later who'd take care of that target. "Meanwhile, there is also a farmer on the outskirts of the city, along the walls where the fields are. He refuses to give food to the people."

"I'll take this one," Adel bowed her head slightly, not taking her eyes off her bird, who was now nibbling at her fingers and asking for more food. "It's been a while since our last hunt, and Sokolo is getting restless." I couldn't help a shiver. Even after watching the bird rip a man's throat out with it's talons a few times already, it was still a disturbing image. It was a very smart bird, and he was extremely dangerous and violent when it came to hunting.

"Next, there is an artist burning paintings right across from the Pitti Palace, as well as a corrupted herald preaching Savonarola's words in the church near there."

"Anyone else?" Ezio raised an eyebrow.

"A captain is ambushing anyone who comes near here," La Volpe poked into one of the squares of the map. "We already had some unfortunate souls that stumbled in there completely by accident and were accused of treason and conspiracy against the leader...we found bits of them on the walls."

"There is also a merchant on the only boat that stands on the Arno river between the districts," James spoke up again. "He's surrounded with guards, refusing to trade with the merchants and citizens, cutting off some of the main supplies. People will soon be dying of hunger if this continues for much longer."

"Let's move from the outside towards the Palazzo de'Pitti, liberating the outer districts and leading the people to a riot," I suggested. "That way, Savonarola hopefully won't catch wind of us until we're at his gates."

"You take care of the sergeants," Niccolo nodded with agreement. "And we will lead the people. No doubt they will not be pleased with all of the oppression, once their eyes are cleared of the influence of the Apple. So with no one threatening them, no amount of guards will hold them back from torching Savonarola, and the palace along with him if he refuses to come out."

"What shall I do?" James asked calmly.

"Whatever the hell you want," I couldn't help but snap. "Really, no one called you here today…"

"Eden," Ezio put his hand on my shoulder in a calming gesture, "He wants to help, so we're going to let him."

I shrugged, standing up and pulling on my hood, getting ready to depart on our mission. "Your call, then."

"Keep an eye on the Palazzo," Niccolo spoke up. "Adel and Sokolo can intersect any messages sent by bird, but just make sure no messenger alarms Savonarola."

"Guard duty. Lovely," the bounty hunter rolled his eyes, but complained no further, getting to his feet as well.

"So all our roles are clear?" Paola asked everyone present, waiting for the nods, and smiling. "Then let's begin."

As we were leaving, I suddenly paused in the middle of the courtyard. Meaning to climb up onto the roofs for more discretion, I then suddenly called out to Adel.

"What is it?" she looked back to me. In a sense, she remained just as innocent and childish as ten years ago, with large blue eyes that she was in the habit of opening widely in surprise, attention, or curiosity.

"Be careful out there," I told her, "Ezio has immunity, and I'm working on mine, but you are still vulnerable to the Apple."

"You worry too much, Eden," she smiled reassuringly, coming back to hug me.

"I know. But we didn't raise you all these years for you to get killed now."

"You always use the same excuse," she laughed. "Ever since I got my first target."

I couldn't help but smile in return. "Because it's true. Alright, go. Kick ass, do as you'd like. Just don't get too cocky, and please don't die. And I mean you too, Ezio," I called out to Ezio, who had already sprung up to the internal balcony of the courtyard, watching our touching family scene from above.

"Ten years of rest, think you may be getting rusty?" he taunted, and I narrowed my eyes.

"Oh, you are _on_!"

* * *

"It's a long climb," Ezio declared knowingly, having been up there after the climbed all over the inside of the Duomo, trying to get to the Assassin tomb that rested at the very top.

"Be sure not to be seen," La Volpe advised him as he was preparing to scale the wall between the Santa Maria and the tallest tower of Florence. "I'll be waiting."

Ezio nodded, and took the first bit of the wall at a run, grasping the above ledge with practiced ease. As he climbed higher, he made sure to check the ground below him to make sure no one was looking upwards. Of course, the crowds were more focused on the fire that the Fox set as a distraction, as well as glaring up to the monk, who continued screaming his usual mad jibberings. No guard was looking his way...

It was when he got the landing on the side of the roof that he had to exercise more caution. The watchmen traveled all along the railing, earnestly patrolling the entirety of the roof. If Ezio was any higher, and his timing even a little worse, they would have no problems spotting him from their posts. But he avoided detection by swiftly following them in their step, hanging only a few feet below them, out of sight.

An eagle cried somewhere in the distance. Ezio waited a moment for the closest guard to turn away and towards the sound before swinging himself up onto the landing. He immediately pressed himself to the base of the dome, the guard still none the wiser that he had an intruder. The monk's singing beginning to ring in his ears, Ezio felt the familiar gentle probing of the Apple on his mind. The charmed monk didn't have the artifact on his person, but perhaps his speech channeled its powers somehow. He mentally waved it off, focusing on his task at hand and keeping his eyes on the two guards that stood at the front of the Duomo. They were turned away from him, but when he started to climb further, there would be a good chance of them taking note...

He was contemplating his chances of killing both at once and somehow keeping them quiet, but then decided not to risk it, simply beginning his ascent with more caution. The tiny windows of the dome provided good and convenient support. But there was more trouble ahead, in the form of another guard beside the monk...

The solution came suddenly. The large bird, it's golden feathers shining in the sun, swooped in, it's impressive talons closing around the head of the guard. Sliding on his helmet, they sunk into his throat. The man didn't even manage to make a surprised shriek as Sokolo, without losing momentum, pushed him over the railing, sending him hurtling to the street below. By a lucky coincidence, the body landed with a sickening thud away from the crowds, onto a deserted street.

The bird let out a satisfied call, and glided back away in circles. Ezio twisted his head enough to see Adel standing on the nearest roof, holding her arm out to signal the bird back to her. She noticed him looking, gave a short salute, and continued on her way. Ezio shook his head lightly, getting back to the target. A worthy student of the masters, quite the worthy student indeed...

He proceeded to the highest point on the magnificent dome, soundlessly coming up behind the monk. The man was too distracted by his own singing to even notice his interloper, until a hand appeared over his mouth, and a blade sunk into his back.

"You preached to the wrong means," Ezio whispered confidently, as if reading out his crimes in court, "And listened to the wrong man..."

"I thought-" the man blinked, the pain clearing the haze the Apple pulled over his eyes, "I thought…he preached…the word of _God!_"

Ezio shook his head, lowering the man down to the ground, "I fear his sermon is a lie."

The pain in the priest's eyes was not only from the wound. "I led my flock astray...it's just... I wanted so badly to believe..."

"We all do." Ezio understood the reasons, as did everyone. The second coming of Christ was foretold to be at the end of the fifteenth century, throwing those naive enough to believe in panic. This man's sins were understandable, but unfortunately not excused. "I will see my father's work complete, no matter the cost. _Requescat in Pace_."

He left the now dead body lying there, glancing downwards to the crowds. They had already noticed the sudden stop of the song, and were throwing their heads back in confusion. Noise quickly filled the street, and Ezio noted La Volpe addressing them. He left it to him to ensure the direction of their anger, and decided to make his exit before someone noticed him. Lightly perching on the railing, he did his usual Leap of Faith down to a haystack down below...

* * *

Adel couldn't help but grin as Sokolo returned to her arm, immediately clicking in demand of a reward, which she supplied immediately. He deserved it. After all, if it wasn't for the smart bird, Ezio would have slightly more difficulty...

As soon as the eagle was done swallowing the piece of meat, she threw him back up in the air, as a command to follow her from the sky. Sokolo followed the unspoken instruction, gaining height and beginning to circle up above her as she broke into a run over the rooftops, passing the archers before they could even notice her. She only stopped on the buildings that were the closest to the walls, overlooking the small farms that ran inside the city.

Adel glanced around the streets, and then brought her eyes back up to the roofs, remembering one of the more priceless lessons that Eden and Ezio taught her. That all those who lived along the underbelly of any city could be of help, as they saw and heard everything and helped those who paid the right price with little hesitation. The group of thieves, bless them, was located nearby. Without a second thought, she headed their way.

"And what is such a pretty lady doing up here?" one of them noticed her approach, raising an eyebrow as his eyes slipped over her form appreciatively.

Adel strongly believed that she had nothing to hide, those religious and decency rules be damned, allowing him the gaze. Eden would have already brought a blade from his shoulder to hip for a stare like that, despite taking no measures to conceal her figure. Ezio, likely, as well. After all, he'd been a young man once, well aware of the salacious thoughts that churned through his male brethren. Hell, considering how often she caught him playfully seducing Eden, no doubt those ideas were still present, and in healthy, full effect. But Adel knew that at times such things could be used to lower the price or create a much more pleasant impression. Besides, the thief wasn't overly threatening of disgustingly obvious, at least not yet... "Not here to offer us company, by any chance, eh?"

"Didn't you hear? The guards don't like strangers up here." Another thief flicking a coin up and down and deftly catching it with one hand joined his friend in the conversation.

"Shut up, both of you _stronzi_. See that mark?" A third thief, the oldest one of the group who had a moderately clean and shaven face, shoved the first one with his fist, pointing to the Assassin symbol on her sash. "If Ser Ezio found out you spoke like that to one of his flock..." he left the sentence hang meaningfully. The younger thief she initially spoke to paled visibly through the grime, quickly backing away and averting his eyes.

Adel noted mentally, and not for the first time that Eden was right. Bearing that mark brought more benefits than trouble, somehow, at least when dealing with these types.

"I won't tell him," she spoke evenly, gracing them with a friendly smile, "If you can help me with a little job..."

"_Signorina_, we don't do things for free," the fourth one that remained silent to this point told her. His eyes kept flickering maniacally to her money purse. She chuckled.

"Of course."

"With that god damned madman walking around with a flock of guards protecting all the crops, we can't even get a proper meal now," the first man snorted. "Not to mention, with no work for the normal citizens, there's barely even enough to steal. Please, for the love of God, tell me you're here for that wretched soul."

"That's exactly why I'm here," she calmly replied. All four of the thieves immediately paid attention with even more interest, now, hungry excitement in their eyes. "See, I'm rather fragile, and there's a lot of guards around him. I can take on two or three, but more is trouble."

She lied, of course. If she wanted to, she could get rid of all of them within moments, though it would take a mild bit of effort. But it did make the case more convincing.

"Not a problem. If it's a distraction you need, then a distraction you'll get."

"A hundred florins."

"A hundred and fifty."

"A hundred and twenty five or you'll continue to starve," she chuckled, though her gaze was unwavering.

"Deal." The oldest one didn't hesitate in agreeing, for the amount she offered was enough for a week of full stomachs for all four of them. After all, they were simple people with simple needs, and they did not need much to enjoy life.

"Are you sure you can handle it, _tesorina?_" the very first one spoke up again as she handed over the money while looking up to the sky to check on Sokolo. He continued to circle, sometimes settling on the towers for a quick rest, and then rising into the air. He made no sounds of worry about losing his benefactor mistress. "No offense but you look too fragile to even take on the farmer..."

Her stare turned hard. Appreciative and flirty glances, she didn't mind. But ones that questioned her ability or competence made her hands itch for a mace. The boy was taken aback by the sudden steel in her voice as she said, "Rest assured, I'm more than capable. Just do your job and I'll do mine."

There were no more objections.

They separated, Adel, breaking into a run towards the edge of the roof. In one long jump, she tumbled downward, reaching the lower farmhouse, rolling over her shoulder and springing to her feet again. The thieves, meanwhile, followed through to the ground, silently coming at the target's group from the side opposite of her.

"You think this is a simple job, and I'm just being paranoid, don't you?" the middle aged man leading a small squad of guards exclaimed loud enough for Adel to hear. "But see, that's where you're wrong! If you take away those people's most basic needs - food, water, shelter, they will weaken, and become desperate. And that's when they will submit!"

She ran her gaze over the landscape, calculating in her head, clicking coldly through the strategies she had at her disposal.

_"Here's something that helped me survive on more occasions than I care to remember," Eden's voice rang in her head. "There is always a way out of any situation. Without __exception__. And when you have nothing to lose but your life to save, then even the boldest, wildest plans you can come up will do. Do you need a plan to bust into the most __heavily__ guarded palazzo to rescue a Doge that is about to be poisoned by one of his closest servant? I thought it was impossible, yet Ezio burst in. __And__ I'm sure if Leonardo's machine didn't work, at least one of us would come up with something even more insane."_

Adel smiled to herself, nodding along with her thoughts and getting ready to move again.

The hired thieves did not take long to appear. It didn't take much to provoke the separate group of guards either, as per usual. All that was required was a little bump, and a false attempt to steal a crate of apples. The thief pretended to be surprised by the attention, dropping the box, breaking it and spilling the fruit everywhere, at which point they all made a run for it.

Adel followed them lead the group away with her eyes, and then lightly jumped down behind the procession that didn't even glance towards the disturbance.

"You see how they sink so low as to try and steal? But when they realize it's futile, they will bow down!" The farmer continued his lecture, almost madly muttering to himself. Adel caught up with the last two guards who walked side by side. Taking example in Ezio's preferred method of silent death, she slit both their throats, driving the hidden blade (the gift her teachers and Leonardo gave her when she turned eighteen) and a dagger into their necks as she stepped between them. She knew well where to strike, so they didn't let out even the faintest of moans as she allowed them to drop to the muddy ground, continuing on her way.

The other two guards finally noticed her, sharply turning around. But she readily sprung away from their weapons, instinctively balancing her weight on her feet in preparation to strike. After so many years, the natural rush adrenaline seemed to sing in her ears, clearing her mind so that everything came into sharp, glittering focus.

Oh, how she loved the thrill of a real fight, where she did not know the outcome for certain. How she enjoyed their confusion of coming in a skirmish with a fragile-looking woman, and then the way their bodies fell to the ground.

She came to believe each body on her death list as a needed sacrifice. And each battle was to her like reaching the goal she wanted to get to so badly when she was younger, fighting Eden over her training, begging Ezio to take her side...

And now, she bent backwards under the swing of the pitchfork of the farmer. Pressing her hands down into the ground and in one smooth movement kicking upwards into his chin, she continued to strike with her legs. Leaping back to her feet to a standing positon, one of her throwing knives stopped the enthusiastic guard that came running at her with a yell of frustration. The blade hit him square in the chest, giving her just enough time to twist around and avoid another strike from the farmer.

She grabbed hold of the shaft of the pitchfork, kicking her heel hard below the man's belt, and twirling her improvised weapon in her hands. Stabbing it into his stomach with all her might, she all but pinned him to the wall of the nearest farm house.

The farmer gurgled with surprise as he stared at her, and then down to his stomach, his breath harsh and struggling. Blood stained the front of his tunic, exploding into an ugly circled of scarlet, his life literally draining from him. "For what-?"

The question surprised Adel. The man did not look charmed like half the town, seeming in control of his actions and words, as though he knew what he was doing. Yet he asked such an obvious question?

"You starved the people under someone's command," she explained, knowing well that until she shifted the spear further up into his body, he would take a long time to bleed out. Enough for a few seconds to tell him his crimes. "Why?"

"Too long..." he gasped out, his little eyes shifting around as if looking for help. But he found none but starved and hungry peasants that had an uncanny similarity to a flock of vultures, just waiting for the man to release his last breath. They were definitely not going to intervene... "To long I suffered their insults! They called me...simple, and low-class...I wanted their respect!"

"By the wrong means, I'm afraid." She grasped the spear tightly, levering in through his body until she saw his eyes twitch, and roll back. "Perhaps the next life will be more to your satisfaction. _Requiescat in pace,_" she calmly finished the short ritual before pulling the spear out, dropping in to the ground.

She didn't rush from the scene. Besides, even if the guards came back, they would have a hell of a time searching for her in the large crowd of people that flooded from the houses and streets, rushing to collect the much-needed hay for their animals and other crops for their own dinners. Adel caught a glimpse of Paola making her way on the street towards the crowds. Sokolo let out a small shriek fromthe sky above, and like a stone, dropped down to her, stopping at the last second to fluidly perch on her arm. She absently stroked his feathers, making her way towards the woman.

"Good work," Paola nodded with appreciation. Adel smiled in return. "Ezio is making his way towards the docks. Perhaps you should get started on the corrupt doctor. As soon as these people are stocked, I shall lead them to the rest of the rebellion."

"It's already forming?" Adel was almost not surprised. Ezio likely finished the very first task, and Eden was a close second, so at least two groups of freed citizens were already rampaging through the streets. Their hope was that James could intersect the guards before they raised the alarm...

"Yes. Now go...and Adel," the young woman stopped, looking back to Paola. The leader of the courtesans was smiling confidently and almost proudly, "Ezio and Eden were devoted teachers, it seems. As I'm sure you were an attentive student."

"The best," she nodded, feeling her ego swell up slightly bigger before she continued on her way.

On the next street she caught sight of the familiar band of thieves, who threw her smiles and respectful bows, before running off to join the gatherings.

* * *

My target, as I later found out in comparison to Ezio's and Adel's, was almost too short and definitely boring. The charmed nobleman stood proudly atop the roofs, shouting down onto the people without tricks or guilt trips. All he did was simply tell them to support Savonarola. His rather pleasant, but too loud voice resonated through the smoky streets, the rare people out and about already managing to form a small crowd underneath him, hanging onto hisevery word.

I would not have been noticed if the man didn't turn to me, as if sensing my approach. "What - assassin! No, you will not get in the way of our master's work!"

"I beg to differ," I muttered under my breath somewhat sourly as I took a stack of crates and a series of ledges at a run. My appearance on the roofs caused the man to madly scream about alerting Savonarola as he fled. Just like we expected him to.

There were guards all around that looked to the nobleman's shrieks, quickly giving me chase. But I paid them no mind, running after the escaping lieutenant. It was almost funny; I did not rush one bit, going at a pace that would match any practice run, but I was easily catching up to him and outrunning his guards. The game would have even been fun if I was not in a hurry.

With one huge leap forward, I tackled him, sending him sprawling and forcing him to the tiles of the roof.

"No!" he struggled in my steel grip, "I was a victim! It's not my fault!"

"Lies," I dropped confidently. I saw his eyes were panicked like any coward that was cornered. But I only felt a slight influence coming off him, nothing more. I was well familiar with the effects of the apple, reacting to the Apple's presence and rejecting it outright. Hoping that the little practice I had over the ten years of forcing the artifact out of my head was enough, it was obvious that this man had undertaken his actions mostly on his own.

"No! He charmed me!" his voice suddenly became almost dreamy as he looked to the skies behind me. A rain drop fell on my hand, and I heard the guard approaching. I had to hurry to get away, or I'd have a fight on my hands. "With that... thing..."

"You could have rejected it, yet you willfully made your choice. And this is the consequence_. Requiescat in pace_," I growled, driving the hidden blade into his throat.

I was off the next moment, leaving the body where it lay. _Jump!_With that, I was on the next roof, already seeking out Adel's eagle circling in the sky...

* * *

_Their tears are filling up their glasses,_

_No expression, no expression._

_Hide my head I want to drown my sorrow_

_No tomorrow... No tomorrow..._

_And I find it kind of funny,_

_I find it kind of sad._

_The dreams in which I'm dying are the best I've ever had._

_I find it hard to tell you,_

_ I find it hard to take._

_When people run in circles..._

_It's a very, very mad world._

(Mad world, Gary Jules)

Death is not the end, it is _an _end.

I truly hope that you like your next life more than you did this one. But don't worry, we'll have Chinese food together again, I promise you. Maybe we'll even find a bookstore to watch the sunrise from.


	46. Chapter 45

James turned away from the dead body, cleaning his blade off on the guard's sash. How much longer would he continue to play a guard dog like this, considering it was already the fourth body, and more would continue to come?

"I'm a mercenary," he muttered to himself almost reassuringly, and not for the first time. "Whatever the job, I can't complain, and I go to the end. Just hurry up already..."

While he was waiting around by the Palazzo de'Pitti, he had already cut down most of the guards on its roof. He had reasonably decided that once the flood of torches that could already be seen in the streets poured in here, the rebellion might be slightly discouraged by the showers of arrows.

He didn't like to think that he did it plainly because of boredom, of course. What type of man would he be if that was the case? There was a difference between assassins and bounty hunters, after all. Just how there were differences between elite military soldiers and city guards. For all of his years, he killed only when forced to, always trying to capture bounties instead bringing back just their their heads. As his father taught him, life was precious, no matter how much the men deserved to die.

James long since learned to go for a long time without sleep, but even he had to rest. Adelaide was soon arrived though, giving him a chance to get a few hours of sleep in one of the roof gardens. She wasn't all too excited about guard duty, but then quickly made a game of picking off stray guards and scaring away the rest of the patrols as one by one, their numbers diminished. On one hand, it unnerved the hell out of Savonarola's men, making them twitchy and nervous, but on the other...

James did not like the way that Adel simply shrugged off the deaths she doled out. As if they were absolutely nothing to care about, nothing more than a hunt in the woods. Her eagle ate the flesh of the men with little care as to what they were. Humans in armor or a boar in the woods, regardless, she proudly stroked his feathers in praise for it. It was funny how she seemed to love the huge eagle so much more than other humans...

James finally decided to himself that the past decade didn't ruin her per say. It just made her overconfident and raised her even further above than where she was when she was twelve. There would come a day where she would be brought down from her ivory tower, and she would be lucky if no one got hurt in the process. And considering the type of work they did...

It would be a long fall.

* * *

The sun began to set, the colors dulled by the smoke of the bonfires and accented by the torches of the raging crowds. _It won't be long, _I thought to myself, following the crowd over the rooftops. We'd been fighting all through the week almost none stop, and blood was all but threatening to form a river.

"_Do the ends justify the means?_" Altair wondered briefly in the back of my head.

_There's no other way_, I rolled my shoulders. _At least the innocents are safe._

Yes, the innocents were finally safe. Soon, the starved, oppressed and very pissed off citizens regained a bit of strength. They were now taking back their homes and farms, beginning to stop the bonfires on the squares. All of it was directed by Paola, La Volpe and Niccolo, who made sure to silently cut out the guards that protected the fires.

In just one week, we managed to liberate the farmlands and central Florence. Now all that was left was the district on the other side of Arno, where the Palazzo de'Pitti was.

Something didn't feel right.

There was a little voice in my mind that I could easily have mistaken for intuition telling me that something was _very_ wrong. It was as if we were gathering all the citizens for them to be slaughtered at the gates of the palace...why did I feel that?

I almost stumbled in my step, my eyes flying wide.

"La Volpe!" I dropped down beside the master thief in a hurry. He, along with Paola and Niccolo took to riling up the people even further, leading them dead onto Savonarola's headquarters. "We shouldn't lead them there."

"Why not?" he asked with surprise.

"Savonarola still has the Apple. If all these people come before him, it might be able to charm them despite their numbers," I told him quickly. "When we get there, and he comes out, what will we do then? Or when he turns all of these people on us? There is no way we can kill all of them, and they-"

"-are innocents," the Fox nodded, and a concerned wrinkle joined the others on his face. "But this is our only chance. We can't stop the crowds any longer to think up a better plan. Do you not have any faith in your husband?"

I ignored the slightly provoking question, instead sinking into a moment of thought. "I hope he knows what he's doing, then..."

"He does. We taught him well," the thief smiled, and I nodded with an affectionate smile. "I almost forgot he was once our student."

"He won't stand for this, one way or another. None of us are going to stand by and watch as these people's wills are taken away. So be on your guard, but be ready for unforeseen events."

"As always...Alright, up I go, then. There's still that mad artist to take care of, so I'll meet you at the palazzo." We exchan

ged nods, and without changing pace, I sprung up to the long-abandoned merchant stall, climbing back up to the roofs.

Stealing across, I threw my eyes upwards, scanning the possible pathways.

"-seek salvation in the flames! The brush, pen and sculptor's clay...these are the Devil's tools!" the artist was shouting to the entire street. I felt a small pang of sadness, for he was a painter himself - how was he ever convinced of following through with this? The man must have been driven completely insane, as he sure sounded like it...

Making a quick decision, I began to climb up the Palazzo, noting a very convenient spring board that would give me a sufficient boost towards the building scaffolding that circled around the fires. But the minute I reached the top and straightened out, I was almost knocked back again. Luckily my reflexes kicked in and I was able to remain on my feet.

"It's the second time you tried to kill me," I growled, snapping my hidden blade away as soon as I realized who it was. "Didn't we go over this once? Look before you leap!"

"I thought it was the new shift of guards, and they would have raised noise when they saw the bodies," he shrugged almost nonchalantly, not making excuses, but rather, informing me. "Are you finally done? Can we get rid of Savonarola once and for all?"

"Almost," I nodded, looking out into the city for a second. "They will finish soon, and then even the gates of hell won't keep that crowd from getting here and setting his little house of cards on flame."

"I'm guessing you're here for that one?" James raised an eyebrow, nodding his head in the direction of the bonfires. They gave out so much smoke, I suddenly realized the true reason behind the piece of cloth covering James' mouth. I almost began to cough myself...

I did not reply, finding the answer a bit obvious, and wanted to take the jump at a sprint. But before I could make even one step, I felt a familiar sensation in my brain, the pressure building, and the whisper becoming pronounced.

"_Your love is for the wrong ones...they are mortal... they shall die."_

"What?"

James looked at me with surprise as I spoke out loud. I realized it was not him who hissed the words into my ears. And it did not sound like Altair, either...

_"The more you struggle, the harder it will become...The Apple has many powers... all your dreams are possible..."_

"Oh no," I sighed.

_"Kill them...spare yourself of the misery... Paradise awaits you, angel of God..."_

"James, I need you to do something," I spoke, shutting my eyes tightly, and rubbing my head against the muttering. Damn him, when did he hear of my lack of immunity to the artifacts? "Find Ezio. Quickly. Tell him what we were afraid of is happening."

"What are you-"

"NOW!" I growled, not risking movement. If I moved, my actions could be redirected so subtly I wouldn't even know the order didn't come from my brain. The sudden urge to stop the rebellion in its tracks came back in force.

_"You are a gift, a sign... you are above those who seek to corrupt God's presence..."_

"Because that's exactly the opposite of what you're doing, _stronzo,_" I gritted out.

Breathe. Remember. It's all lies and illusions. Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Nothing is true...

_"You have the power those that you call family will never understand, and will never appreciate..."_

"More idiots thinking I'm a Piece of Eden. Damn it, my name has nothing to do with God. My mother was just walking along one day and thought "hey, Eden is a lovely name!" I found myself nearly screaming. Thank God James went on his errand and no else was around…

_"You laugh an angel's laugh... The Apple showed me... and this God's gift shall show you the truth, too..."_

"As if once wasn't enough. The Apple lies!"

As I argued with the whispering in my ears, I felt slightly weaker. It was hard to battle illusions... even such silly ones as this. Why did was I struggling again.? Wouldn't it be easier just to do what he tells me to get rid of this monstrous fatigue? Look at those charmed lieutenants...they're perfectly happy with the chaos they're wrecking...

_"Don't you dare, __woman__. Come now, what did we speak of?_" Altair growled impatiently. "_Focus. __Use it__…it's as though Eagle Vision… you should be able to trace the Apple back to the bastard._"

His voice in my head was like a breath of fresh air after a suffocating, wretched storm. Yet I struggled to do as he commanded, forcing past the whispers in my head, trying to find the golden string.

~_What is this place..? Paradise, or fantasy? Then why do I hate it so much? Why is my instinct onto to run, from the transparent walls that reflect the blue sky, from the white engravings on the doors, from the golden glow coming from the windows? I took a wrong turn, I realized. We had to climb... up, up to the sun...up and away from this sweet nightmare..._~

"Eden!"

My eyes snapped open, and I realized my fists were clenched so hard that the wedding band under my glove was painfully cutting into my ring finger.

"Eden snap out of it," Ezio's voice became more clear, washing over me with steady relief. I reached out, and his hand caught mine immediately. "_Amore_." His hand gripped mine so hard, he was cutting off the circulation. But that was the least of my worries…"Come now, we knew he would try this, and I know you can resist…_focus_-"

"I'll fucking kill him," I muttered hoarsely, realizing my nose was bleeding. I wiped the blood away with distaste, unhappy with the amount of effort I had to put in just to keep the power of the Apple at bay. "With my own two hands..._Merda_, I can almost understand why those people gave up their wills up so readily..."

"That's more like it," he breathed with relief, helping me stand up. I finally managed to rip myself from the sweet promises in my head and focus on Ezio.

I sighed with relief as the influence finally subsided, leaning my forehead on Ezio's chest for a moment. His lips touched the top of my head, and I did a double take.

"Whats this?" I squinted slightly, running my thumb over his lips. The red streak followed my finger, smearing onto his cheek. "I turn my back for one moment and you're already jumping on other women?"

"Very funny," he smiled slightly at my random comment. "You'd get a lead role in satire."

"As what?"

"The comic relief that falls over all the time."

"Ah. Well, could be worse. Seriously, though, where did you get your makeup done?" I muttered as I pulled his head down to search for further damage.

He freed from my grasp like a stubborn child, shaking his head. "It was that damned captain. Volpe was right, he set up a nice ambush, but I got him in the end…I'm more worried about you at the moment."

"I think I made him jump with my last kick..." I rubbed my head. "So he won't be trying that again, hopefully. I hate illusions...that's all the Apple does, and it's our fault if we fall for them."

"Then all those people down there were something close to willing captives," Ezio made the deduction. "I will have to remember that. Do you know how to stop the attacks on your mind?"

"Another time should be no problem," I slowly nodded, though to tell the truth, I hoped I was right the next time.

"Let's trust that there won't be a next time," he sighed. "Come now," he tugged my hand, pulling me away from the roof and down to the street. I felt the fatigue that accompanied the attempt on my brain disappear, leaving only the natural outcome of two sleepless nights. "They are about to appear."

I suddenly realized that the noise was not just in my head - it was steadily growing, coming towards us and the palazzo. "Wait, what about the painter-?"

"I took care of it," Adel appeared out of nowhere, and threw her arms around my neck, hugging me tightly. I returned the embrace, mentally shuddering at the thought of what would have happened if I agreed to kill the two closest people I had.

"Just in time, too," Ezio said, and I looked up just as the crowd spill into the large square in front of the Palazzo de'Pitti. The roar almost deafened me, the many torches in their hands illuminating the buildings like some pitiless nightmare, the shadows long and dancing along the stone walls. The remaining guards took in chaos, and not even the power of the Apple was able to hold them; they either joined, or made a run for it, but none stood their ground any longer. And like one, they were all shouting for Savonarola.

We made our way around them, farthest away from the palace where we could see the rest of the Assassins, along with James, watching the unfolding events with satisfaction.

"Uncle Mario!" Adel noticed the newcomer first, nearly flying into his arms. If there was anyone that she formed a strong relationship with over the past decade aside from Ezio and me, it was Mario. He returned the affection, treating her like he would his most beloved granddaughter. Though I doubt grandfathers taught their descendants swordplay as he did...

"You made it just in time!" I grinned a little weakly. We knew he was coming eventually, as he only hung back to gather and line up his mercenaries to take care of the chaos that would likely happen once Firenze lost its leader again.

"Looks like he finally heard of the revolution," Niccolo stated as the grand doors of the Palazzo swung open to reveal the monk that only minutes earlier attempted to move into my head.

"I think a dead man could have heard the noise these people are making," Ezio shrugged.

"Get ready. He'll try to use the Apple, I'm certain of it," Mario's voice was nearly drowned in the new roar of rage from the crowd. But Ezio heard him, already snatching a throwing knife from his belt in preparation.

"Let the people have their justice, we only need the Apple," I leaned towards his ear, and he nodded curtly, now focused on the single target that we'd been looking for all these years. Adel glanced at me with surprise.

"Wouldn't it be easier to simply kill him while he's standing right there, in plain sight?" I waved my hand in reply, signaling her that I'd explain later.

"What are you all doing here?" Savonarola demanded, eyes shining with crazed enthusiasm, as though he did not realize the crowd was shouting for his blood. Throwing his hands in the air, he declared, "You should be at your homes, clearing them of the sinful possessions, purging your souls with the fires-" The crowd was having absolutely none of it, still trying to get through the railing to him. Gaze widening, he swiftly calculated that a moment longer and he'd be swept away. Frantically pulling out our prize from his robes, he commanded, "You _will_ obey!"

The reaction was immediate. I almost felt like I truly did go deaf, considering the quiet that fell so abruptly. Golden fire seemed to spill forth from The Apple, nearly blinding despite the hundreds of torches the crowed carried.

I felt the now familiar wave of desire sweep over my mind.

_Oh, I don't think s__o...not this time_.

Before I could even properly move, Ezio flew forward almost too fast for any of us to see, sparing not even a moment of hesitation and hurling the throwing knife into Savonarola's hand. The crazed monk screamed, forced to drop the Apple as he clutched at his bloodied hand. I followed it with my eyes as it rolled away, attempting to shove through the crowd to ensure it wouldn't be lost yet again. The next moment, the crowd really did sweep the insane monk off his feet. Squashing any attempt at struggle he gave, they nearly ripped him limb from limb as they passed him from hand to hand. And then with triumphant shouts, they carried him off.

I wanted to give a sigh of relief, but something still felt...wrong.

"Wait-"

"The Apple!" La Volpe leapt forward just as an overlooked, armored man ran up to the glowing ball, and without stopping, scooped it into his hands. "Borgia's men! Don't let him get away!"

Like a bullet fired from a gun, we all snapped into motion. Ezio took off straight after the thief, the Fox and me bolting too, scaling the walls of the palace to the roofs with lighting speed, closing off the soldier's escape routes. More of Borgia's men were following, but we were too fast for them.

Unfortunately, there was a slight hitch in that plan.

The thief was fairly damn fast, too.

I twisted my lips in a frown, my eyes searching the roof. A few long steps away from me, Ezio and La Volpe, were doing the exact same, the concealed panic growing slowly even under their inscrutable expressions.

"_Cazzo_," I swore loudly. Ezio clenched his teeth, nodding.

"Split up. He could not have gone far, he's likely waiting out for us to give up."

"Then perhaps he has a reason to believe it's going to work?"

"So what do you propose, just standing around and waiting for him to come out?"

"We have to get the rest of our people, comb the district properly-"

"That will take too long, we have to act now, before that damned Apple slips out of our fingers _again_!"

"Then-"

"Just do as you're told!" he nearly roared at my back.

I froze in mid step, and took a long moment to look around at him. That was long enough for him to realize exactly who he just raised his voice at. But he did not back down or take the command back, wildly gesturing at the street where the thief was no doubt making his way back to his forces.

Like I could give a flying damn about _that_ at the moment…

"Repeat that again," I murmured, with enough venom to make him flinch, "And slowly this time, so you can think about what you're-"

"We don't have any god-damned time for this!" Volpe snapped, shooting his violet eyes between us sternly. I froze again, never in my life witnessing the mysterious thief as anything but either distantly amused or utterly focused. Sparing Ezio one more glare to tell him plainly that the scandal was postponed, but not canceled I turned to the Master Thief as he ordered, "Eden, take the left, search for traps doors and balconies, I'll take the right, and Ezio, check inside the buildings."

We gave synchronized nods, shooting in opposite direction from the spot where we all stood.

I wish I could say that the only thought that was going through my mind was "Get the Apple!" Perhaps then this situation could have made things easier and smoother. I readjusted my eyes, letting the warm glow of the Eagle Vision sweep over me in its familiar comfort, searching for any hint of the soldier that slipped through our fingers so quickly.

Alright, if I got my thoughts in order...what did we have? Almost completely abandoned buildings- everyone was either driven out by Savonarola's men earlier, or were now rampaging through the streets, effectively tearing down the last of the tyrant's influence. There were a few that chose to hide, however; two old men were wheezing horribly somewhere below me, likely near death, and a young mother was cowering with her child just under the roof. I heard the erratic beating of the girl's chest, and her son's coughing. They were in need of medical attention, but, sadly, I did not have the time to stop and help them. There were far bigger matters at stake...

I did not locate the thief, but rather, the Apple. It drew my latent senses to itself, like a child looking for his parents. As soon as I got close enough, it blared through my ears like a siren, forcing my pulse to quicken with adrenaline, the glow if it shining even through the tiles of the roof and the floors Borgia's man managed to put between us. The next moment my eyes found the trapdoor that was hidden just under the roof-archer guard post.

I glanced back towards La Volpe, but realized that he was already too far away to call or notify of my find, considering that I could see the Apple moving farther away. Cursing under my breath, I lifted the door, and slipped inside.

If the house was abandoned, it had been only recently. The city's roving bands of marauders didn't even get a chance to loot it, the furniture barely touched with dust, though most of the walls were blank from lack of paintings and tapestries. Moving more carefully now, I slipped through the living room, finding the stairs and silently walking towards the call of the artifact.

I was likely not the only one who could hear it, which meant Ezio was on his way now, too. I did not wish to wait for him, however, moving quicker and descending lower and lower, until I stopped at the dark hole that led down to the cellar. The darkness was of little consequence, due to my Eagle Vision, but something made me hesitate. Shaking my head, I tensed my hold on my dagger before stepping down onto the first step.

The Apple was in the far corner, opposite of the stairs. Very low, too, as if it was lying on the floor. Why was it-?

_Snap!_

Now, if I was anyone else, the blow to the back of my head would have knocked me out for damn sure. But I was still me, and I began to move as soon as I felt danger. Thankfully, I slightly side-stepped the full brunt of the blow at the last second, before it completely connected, through my ears were ringing from its force. The Eagle Vision shivered, and slid away to nothingness as I lost focus. The darkness somehow beginning to swim, I was forced to roll over my shoulder as I lost balance, hitting the floor with a painful thud. Years of fights and sheer stubbornness made me bit back a yelp of pain, not to mention, I had no wish to alert my attacker to my newly exposed position.

Without thinking, I threw a knife into the darkness behind me, only to hear it clank against the stone wall without doing any harm to my opponent. I shook my head, trying to adjust my vision back, but it stubbornly refused to engage.

I froze, awaiting for either my eyes to adjust to the darkness, or for the man to reveal himself again. Soundless, I reached over with my hand over to where I remembered the Apple lying.

The warm metal greeted my hand readily and almost happily sang into my ears. In a different situation, I would have smiled - I felt no more whispers in my head, and the Apple now seemed almost like any other mechanism in my hands now, eager for commands.

There was movement. A low, muffled grunt, and the barely audible sound of a blade. Another grunt and then the soft thud of something heavy hitting the stone floor.

"Where is the Apple?" Ezio asked, effortlessly finding my direction. "Eden, are you holding it again-?"

"So what if I am?" I asked, getting up to my feet. My headache stepped back immediately, and surprised, I lifted a hand up to my neck. There was still blood there, but the wound was gone. At the same time, I felt a dozen small scratches that I received in the past two days disappear. "This thing heals, did you know?"

"No. But it's good to know. Now _please_," he put emphasis on the "please", still sounding very tense. Almost... afraid? "Give it here."

"Fine, take it." I shrugged, handing it over with almost surprising ease. Ezio relaxed immediately, tucking the Apple away. Without waiting for him, I headed up the stairs onto the first floor, resisting the urge to snap out something at him again.

"_Professionals. You are professionals. Don't let personal principles get in the way of your work._" Altair growled in reminder.

_I'm his god damned wife! When I agreed to that, I made it clear I belonged to myself only!_

_"You're not his wife on the field!"_

_I'm still a fucking Master!_

His argument died at that, as if he waved a frustrated hand at my obstinate declaration, retreating back to his room in my brain.

_And stay put, I've enough of your advice for today!_ I mentally yelled at his back in anger. He did not reply, the silence heavy with reproach and disappointment.

Fine, so Altair's voice in my head sometimes gave very nifty advice. Once it even saved me from an arrow on the rooftops about three years back, so after that, I stopped blocking him out or limiting him to my unconscious state. Luckily, he was tactful enough to never attempt any hostile takeovers. He already lived through his life, seemingly content with his one chance at it. Now, he was simply watching mine like a good movie. Sometimes I even caught myself wondering if there was any popcorn in the back there...

But at that moment, I was too angry to listen to all my mistakes read back to me.

"Come on," I muttered back to Ezio for the lack of anything better, still stubbornly refusing to look at him, "Let's go make sure this is the end of Savonarola."

* * *

The bonfire that the citizens built up in almost record time in front of the Signoria was _huge_, as though they were planning to make enough barbecue for everyone still left in the city. Though I can't say that the mood was that of a party. People were happy, yes, but even more so, they were angry and hateful, roused to destruction by the sheer joy of destroying the man that brought their beloved city to such a chaotic state. The bonfire took the place of the execution stage. As burning was essentially the official punishment that the mad monk favored, it proved rather ironic that he would be the one put to flames this time.

"-Lord please save me, lord preserve me, smite the evil-" Savonarola was nearly screaming as the men shoved him up towards the small stage above the wood, tying his arms around it.

I touched Adel's shoulder lightly, and she jumped, turning around. All the Assassins that gathered here today looked at us with question in their eyes, and we simply nodded without smiles, taking our places behind the crowd. We all watched the execution with slight disgust and pity. After all, Assassins preferred quicker methods that brought only brief moments of pain. But being burnt alive was something that could last for hours, the offender screaming and gasping for air as they burned, knowing there was no one to take pity and end his miserable existence fast...

Adel tore her gaze away, her hand finding my elbow and squeezing tightly. I reached up to run a comforting hand through her golden curls on which the reflection of the flames began to dance. Savonarola let out a terrified shriek as the first red tongue gave him a tentative, curious lick, the crowd's yells growing even louder.

"_No one_ deserves to die like this!" Ezio was the first one to snap. Before any of us could say a word, he began pushing his way through the crowd, nearly shoving them from his path. Not that any of us would attempt to talk him out of it…

He barely even touched the stage with his feet, only lightly launching off, and diving into the flames. I couldn't help but step forward, barely holding back a scream. But Ezio already danced away from the pole as Savonarola went limp on his binds, the blood from his throat spilling down, making the flames hiss slightly, and then resume its dinner.

"Listen up," Ezio roared at the crowd, easily covering over their disappointed moan. At the sound of his voice, everyone shut up, much like when the Apple was brought out by Savonarola. Everybody suddenly remembered just what those white robes and red sash meant, and they froze in fear and awe, as if meeting a living legend. Which, I suppose, Ezio more than qualified for…

Waiting out a short moment to make sure he had everyone's attention, he began.

"Many years ago, I stood on this very spot, and watched as my family was betrayed by those we thought friends."

Every Assassin present stared at him with slight shock. I shifted my eyebrows together, looking up at my husband, and wondering what he had in mind.

"And it was only thanks to the wisdom of complete strangers that I did not give into instinct, and that I stand here before you now." Ezio looked up at us, his eyes sliding over our group, and then boring into mine for a long moment, before snapping back to the crowd. "They did not hand me the answers, but allowed me to find them for myself...that is what makes us human and gives us our freedom! And there are those that want to take that away from us! And many of you, as shown by these events, would willingly give it away!" His voice boomed throughout the square, over the roaring of the flames as they eagerly devoured the tyrant's body, slowly charring him to dust. "But we all should walk our own paths, where we are free to decide!"

The weight of his words emerged slowly, the people staring at him as if mesmerized. Some even had the heart to hang their heads in guilt.

"And as long as we live, we should be fighting for our right to choose." Ezio suddenly looked at me again, and I stared back in pride and at the same time, wonder. "Because as a person very important to me once said, to have freedom, we have to earn it. We have to fight for it...do not give it up! You don't need to follow others! Not the Pazzi, not the Medici, and not me."

With that conclusion, he walked off the stage, back into the crowds. They parted, bowing their heads in respect and gratitude, allowing him to rejoin us.

Mario was the first to greet him with a smile to match mine and a hearty embrace. Paola gave him a small kiss on his cheek, so similar to the one that he received when we left Firenze for the very first time, while La Volpe clapped him on the shoulder.

I snorted under my breath, looking away. My fingers began to almost nervously twist the wedding ring on my finger. I caught sight of his faintly hurt expression, but made no move to fix it.

"Let's go home. We have what we need."

"We have to stay for a while longer to ensure Borgia does not take over in this moment of weakness," Niccolo folded his hands behind his back.

"I've already sent messages to the rest of the Assassins," Mario concluded. "You have collected all of the codex pages and the Apple, so it is time to find the Vault. Antonio, Teodora and Bartolomeo have to be present; they deserve that right just as much as we do."

We had the Apple.

We had the Codex.

We had the Prophet.

It was time to finish things.

* * *

"What will you do now?" Adel raised an eyebrow, not really caring for a conversation, but finding nothing better to do. James replied with a tentative shrug of his shoulders as he mounted his black mare, making it fall into step with the Adel, who strayed at the back. "You're not coming back to Monteriggioni with us, are you?"

"I don't have the most cheerful memories of the place, so no," he shook his head, "But I'm not staying in Firenze. It's no longer the home I used to know. And I think I'm due for a change of scenery..."

"Why did you stay in Florence for so long, then?" Eden twisted around to look at him questioningly. He gave another shrug.

"Waiting for you people to show up. I knew you'd come eventually, though I didn't expect it to take this long."

"So where are you headed, then?" Adel asked absently.

"Rome," James nodded with his thoughts, as though he had only just made the decision now. "It's a pretty big city, though a bit battered, so lots of work for a wandering mercenary."

Eden exchanged grim glances with Mario and Niccolo, who were riding beside her.

As Florence currently returned to a Republican way of government, new leaders were hastily elected to at least make a visage of control. Luckily, Niccolo Machiavelli managed to get into their ranks, which gave a slightly brighter outlook onto the future of Firenze. But James still decided that he had nothing more to do there.

"When you come around for Borgia, look me up," James continued, "I'll happily take part in overthrowing another tyrant," he fleetingly grinned.

"Careful, or we'll take you up on that offer," Eden snorted. Adel glanced at her with slight worry - the woman was in a much worse mood than usual. Adel was not used to that since Eden was usually happy, content and enthusiastic. But she'd barely spoken a word since they watched Savonarola burn.

"What's her problem this time?" he quietly asked Adel.

"Trouble in paradise," the young woman shrugged, rolling her eyes. "We had to replace all the statues, vases, dishes, and rugs, as well as a few windows the last time they had a fight. So this is far from the worst."

"I can hear everything, you know." Eden grumbled lowly, "And you're exaggerating," she pointedly continued, "We only had to replace _half_."

"It was good to see you again, though," James almost didn't lie when he said that. He gave a toothy smirk to Adel, saluted Eden, the assassins' and Ezio's back, and directed his horse onto the road that broke from the one leading to San Gimignano and Monteriggioni.

He decided that Assassins weren't too bad in some terms, though some of them in particular still remained almost frighteningly bloodthirsty. Good thing that energy was directed into a just path. Because the way that Eden continued to glare at Ezio, the screaming would likely soon be heard all over_ Italia._..

* * *

**A/N- **And thus we conclude another chapter. I have some good news, and I have some bad ones. The bad ones are that even though I finished the story, in reference to the trailers for Brotherhood, it seems that I do not have all my information yet. So the last few chapters will be published after the game comes out.

So I suppose we'll see you again sometime in the last two weeks of November.

Thank you to all those who said a few words of Laurie, and thanks to those who did as I asked and gave me no words of pity or sympathy.


	47. Chapter 46

**A/N- **Hurray! And a merry christmas. Or something along those lines.

First of all- AC: Brotherhood ROCKS. If you haven't gotten it yet, go find it.

Second, sorry for the long wait, I know I promised November, but you can't believe everything I say. Just a tip for the future, should you ever meet me in person- I can't actually tell the future. Cheers.

Third, not only is this the second last chapter, but I already have five chapters of the sequel finished, and the outlook is good.

And finally- if anyone ever wants to play the multiplayer of Brotherhood with me, my PS3 name is **NataN35249**. If not, well, it's fine. Totally your decision. I won't use my puppy eyes. Or use the fact that I have no friends against anyone... Or remind you that my LAST friend who could have played online with me died two months ago. No, no, I won't mention any of that, I promise...

Er, sorry. Slowly going insane from isolation. Not that that's a bad thing... Well, off you go, read.

* * *

He wished that she yelled at him.

Or something, really. Before, Eden never hesitated into plunging into a yelling match, and sometimes a sparring one, as they both needed to let off steam once in a while. And every single time, all was forgiven and forgotten, the two once again a nearly perfect visage of a married couple.

But most certainly, not this time. She didn't yell. She didn't scream. She didn't start breaking vases, furniture, or anything else that had the misfortune of being in her general vicinity. She didn't even try to hit him. And at this point he would've gladly any of those options. Hell, all the same time, if need be. Anything but her cold stare before she walked out of the room, her traveling cloak still closely around her. Not one personal word passed between them since they had left Florence, or over the course of their meeting over the Codex pages, It was as though an invisible wall had sprung up between them.

They only just got back on track, for the first time since their wedding, and look what happened. Soon, Ezio didn't even know the true reason for their icy war of attrition. That he gave her an order in the heat of the moment, something that was always a strict taboo between them? Or was something else bothering her? Knowing Eden, it was likely both. And more.

With those thoughts, he left their bedroom, and walked downstairs, to Maria's room. Of course, as per usual, he expected nothing but silence to meet him.

* * *

Thanks to Caterina's map, we managed to collect all thirty pages, completing Altair's musings and prophecy. Tuscany, Romanga, Milano, Naples, we searched throughout Italia, as well as a bit of Spain where a page ended up when it was passed to one of the Templars within the Spanish Inquisition. Funny story in retrieving it, actually; I was almost executed in order for us to get it back, when…well, that's for another time.

I sat in front of Leonardo's desk for almost three hours now. Rereading his notes, shifting through the codex, trying to figure out just where my unease was coming from, despite that the activity was beginning to seem rather fruitless. I felt that the answer was somewhere in the writing, likely, something I missed the first time. But I didn't even know what I was looking for, making it hard to find. Perhaps a clue as to why specifically the Apple pointed us to the Vatican, what was inside the Vault, why it was Ezio who could open it...

"Why are you still up? Aren't you leaving for Roma the morning?" I heard a quiet voice.

"Just looking over some things," I curtly replied.

Claudia sighed, sitting down beside me. "What's bothering you?"

"I could ask the same question," I glanced at her, returning back to the reading, "Then again, I think I can guess...you still feel trapped in this villa, don't you?"

Claudia rolled her shoulders, and nodded, "How is it you know everything?"

"Not everything," I chuckled, "I just know what it's like to sit on one spot for years on end and being unable to move. I think I understand."

"Not now, though," she muttered, "You go where you like and do whatever you please, just as my brother does. You always leave like this, off on another adventure, ridding the world of tyranny, and then coming back with wounds and concussions."

"Once. And it's not my fault the streets of San Gimignano are made of harder stone than anywhere else," I automatically responded.

"All I'm saying is that you're always out there, not stuck back here as an accountant with a family. Don't get me wrong, I love my family; Federico is a blessing and then some, and Paolo is really good to me...but this life isn't what I wanted. All of these responsibilities-"

"So?" I looked up at her with my eyebrows raised, "It's never too late for a change." She stopped, mid-rant, and stared at me questioningly. I clarified. "I have a husband too. Sure, I'm not very happy with him at the moment," I grimaced, "But he still counts as one. And I'm fairly sure that killing people is considered a responsibility to the world that we're saving on daily basis."

"You and my brother are match made in heaven," she snorted. This was certainly not the first time she said as much over the years, "But it's different with me."

"Not really. Paolo is a mercenary, so I'm sure he'd understand if you wanted to do something outside the city walls," I shrugged, throwing my braid back over my shoulder. "Of course, there is your brother. But I can promise that he would agree if I asked very nicely..."

"You make it sound so easy, Eden," she let out a heavy sigh, "But you know as well as I do that if I leave here, this town will start falling apart again..."

"You rebuilt this place to last," I smiled at her, "So don't hang your nose, I'm sure you'll get out of here one day."

"I hope you're right," she nodded, reaching out and giving my hand a reassuring squeezing. It was a nice feeling, as very few could boast of actually getting along with their sister-in-law, let alone counting one as a close friend. "So," she leaned on the chair across from me, "What are you working on so diligently?"

"Hm? Oh, right," I looked back to the pages of the Codex. "Something has been bothering me, and I think I just found what. Look, right there...Altair mentions someone that came before."

"Before? Before humans, you mean?" she leaned forward, reading with interest, "But that would make it God," she shrugged.

_"Gods."_

"Hm?"

"Plural," I pointed out, chewing my lip. "I get this strange feeling...aside from that. It just feels as though there is something more to this story than we realize. And I mean, beyond Rodrigo and his accomplices, their Order and ours. Something that we're a part of without realizing," I mumbled quietly, flicking through the pages for what seemed the hundredth time. Then I sighed. "I just wish Altair would speak plainly sometimes."

_"I resent that."_

"Yeah, well, I resent you not telling me what is going on," I grumbled.

Claudia glanced up at me strangely from where she too was now thumbing through some pages I gave her, "What?"

"Nothing. Just my resident hallucination still being pissed at me."

"Uh-huh," she arched a worried brow, bringing her hand to my forehead, "Maybe you should get some sleep, _si?_"

"Right you are, my dear," I wrinkled my nose, leaning away from her hand as I stood up, "Right you are."

* * *

I tightened the strap of my bag to the saddle, and caught a yawn into my fist. It was still too early, as the first sun rays haven't even touched the flags of Monteriggioni. After ten years of a more or less peaceful life, I almost forgot what it was like to go without sleep and food for days on end, or run for hours without break. My body was getting back into the routine, thankfully, but I was still not pleased with waking up so early.

"Eden, I have to come!"

"No, you don't. We will manage perfectly well without you there," I replied snappily. Much like a parent denying their child ice cream for the hundredth time, I suspected I was slowly going insane, thinking _"When will you shut up, my sunshine?"_

"But it's such a tiny group-"

"And if you come, the scales will of course tip over in our favor?" I cut Adel off, skeptically smirking. "Oh, well, I guess we'll just have to manage on our lowly skills and forces..."

She realized where she went wrong, and caught herself quickly, "I don't mean that you can't manage, I'm just saying you might need mine or Sokolo's aid. You know he can pass signals, not to mention I could help-"

That was true enough. Adelaide managed to train the golden eagle to let out shrill, carrying shrieks at certain gestures. It was almost invaluable when working as a team on a large scale. It was also something that had both Antonio and Mario almost jumping up and down like a little school girls at the strategic possibilities, which was very amusing to watch on any other occasion.

"Sweetheart, this is going to be dangerous," I sighed, "And I mean, more so than ever before. This is not some low, overconfident merchant, nor is it the Doge on a boat, within range of a pistol. We're about to play on someone else's territory filled to the brim with soldiers that for some reason don't like us very much. So trust me when I say a couple people can get by with much more ease. Not to mention, we can't risk a bigger group entering Rome at the same time. It's like a horde of snakes slithering into someone's house, yes? One or two can hide pretty well, but add another ten and the owners won't notice them only if they are blind, deaf, and sleeping."

She suddenly stopped her retort, and looked at my profile more carefully. I struggled to keep a determined grimace, finally fluttering up to the saddle. Without warning, Adel laid a hand on my leg, drawing my eyes back to her.

"You're worried," her tone changed dramatically, from the "spoiled child" voice that she reserved especially for Ezio and me, to a low, serious voice.

"Yes, I am." I easily admitted, biting my lip, "I feel like we're walking into a huge trap."

"That has never stopped any of us before..."

"Are we going or not?" Mario finally snapped impatiently. He was already on his steed a few paces away, waiting for us to finish talking. The horse was dancing under him, following his small tugs of the reigns, and it did not take Leonardo's mind to figure out that he was eager to get going. "Eden, just let her come," he rolled his eyes, though it wasn't hard to make out his fleeting grin, "You're just going to waste more time fighting a lost war with her."

I twitched my nose in thought, and finally shrugged. "Do as you'd like. Who is going to mind the fortress while we're away?"

"Antonio is staying a while longer. Besides, all the mercenaries know what to do, as Claudia knows how to direct them," Mario waved his hand, touching his heels to the horse's sides.

"So I can come?" Adel threw her eyelashes up. I glanced at her, and with a tug at my conscience, nodded.

She was right about me, in a way. Before, I got worried, but it didn't stop my professional enthusiasm and excitement. But this time... Something felt off, and it could not stop gnawing at my stomach. Something was going to go wrong, I could feel it in my bones, organs, tissues and cells. Briefly, I wondered if any of the other assassins felt the strange waver, and figured at least Ezio would have. Maybe it was simply Altair's presence that shadowed my instincts, though I doubted it. If anything, he was always the one that helped me sharpen and focus them.

_So what gives?_

"Wait a moment!" We turned around with some surprise, "You didn't think that we'd let you leave without saying goodbye, right?"

I shifted my eyebrows together, staring at Claudia with confusion. "What are you talking about, we said goodbyes this morn- oh."

Well, that was certainly unexpected.

Beside my sister-in-law stood Maria Auditore. Though her hair was laced heavily with gray, her skin pale, she was now watching the world with aware eyes, her gaze focusing on our faces with curiosity and sadness. She seemed uncertain on her feet, too. Yet she stood tall with noble grace, her chin turned upwards.

Without a words, we all got off our horses, and walked back to the two. Mario immediately engulfed Maria in a bear hug, which she returned without hesitation. I, however, was not in a hurry to introduce myself...

"I don't know what happened!" Claudia shrugged at my questioning stare, her own eyes brimming with happy tears. "_Madre_ came down to breakfast herself this morning…I have no idea how Ezio managed it-" she abruptly stopped speaking, clapping her hand to her mouth for moment. But her tears were not those of grief, especially as grinned widely. Quickly wiping her eyes with the back of her hand, she gestured for us to approach.

I noticed that Maria's eyes were now on me, and I gave a short bow of my head. "Madonna Maria."

"Are you Eden?" she asked. Her voice was cracked, and different from what I thought it would be, but nonetheless, her words were absolutely clear, "Ezio's wife and partner?"

"Guilty as charged." I replied, still slightly stunned. I could barely even hear my own voice. And for the first time in a _very _long time, I was suddenly unsure of how to react.

She took a step around Mario, and to my surprise, hugged me, too. "Thank you for taking care of him," she murmured against my ear.

"I did promise as much," I muttered, recalling the vow I made to her years and years ago, when everything was only just beginning. She did not remember my words, and I did not expect her to. Yet that didn't stop me from doing good on it.

_And now I'm going to let him walk into something I almost completely know is a trap, alone and armed with an artifact that can change hands faster than a courtesan? What the hell am I thinking?_

We were on the road for days, stopping in towns and villages. It only got warmer as we ventured further south, all hints of winter seeming to disappear and leaving what looked like permanent autumn.

All in all, Roma had beautiful countryside, similar to _la Toscana_, but with a tad more ruins. Pillars and ruined foundations were scattered between farmlands, small woods populated the land, and the fields were the most rich color of green I'd ever seen. But as we got closer to actual civilization...

Rome itself was a pitiful sight to behold, truly. The magnificent city I have heard about and seen in pictures in the future has not yet come to its glory. It was pathetic and crumbling, the people obviously terrified and hungry, dressed into dirty clothing they likely hadn't changed for years. The smell of rot and waste hung in the air. The small villages and towns that became more frequent as we closed into Rome were neglected, some even abandoned and in complete ruin. As I watched with some disgust as a bony dog with mad eyes tore apart a corpse in the bushes, I had no doubt that the inside districts of Rome were much more beautiful and kept, to accommodate the nobles, cardinals, and foreign ambassadors. While the pope spent his money on his children and the military power, the people around them led terrified and starving existences...

I heard Mario let out a huff discontent and disapproval on many occasions. Adel, after we passed the first of such villages, was determined to keep her eyes strictly on the road.

"It's like they're killing them, too, " she whispered to me once, when we made small camp out on the field, not wanting to find a place in the less-than-friendly towns. "Not like we do, but slowly…it's like they're dragging it all out without even meaning to..."

I poked the small fire with a stick, nodding with a grimace.

"What I don't understand, though, is why they can't do something about it," Adel suddenly wondered. I shifted my eyebrows together slightly, and she explained, "Look at it," she waved to the admittedly pastoral scene in front of us, "The fields are tended, the livestock seems fine, and the mill wheel on the river steadily turns. They should at the very least have food-"

"It's those friendly little squads of guards that march around with sharp sticks. They take most of it away," I snorted, "And whatever is left is not enough to last them the harsher seasons."

The large groups of guards indeed patrolled the land, and on top of everything, they all likely had instructions to stop and search all newcomers that even distinctively looked like assassins. Luckily for us, just as we were nearing the city, rain began to pour, giving us an excuse to wear cloaks and hoods.

"Signore?" the captain spoke almost demonstratively to Mario only. "Who are you and what's your business in Roma?"

"I'm a traveling merchant, and this is my daughter and granddaughter," he shrugged, telling the already agreed tale. The guards looked over us skeptically, but I kept my eyes down, and Adel simply pretended to shiver, curling into her cloak. Fortunately, they didn't press further, or realize that neither I, nor Adel looked anything like each other or Mario. Then the guards noticed our lack of a cart or caravan. "My other helpers got so drunk last night in that small village to the north that we decided to ride ahead. They'll catch up with the caravan some time tomorrow..."

"What's the rush?"

"My granddaughter here is sick," he gestured to Adel, who acted out a very convincing coughing fit. "There was no decent doctor in the village."

I think they would have asked to look in our bags anyway, but the guards were so exhausted by patrolling the muddy roads, where you couldn't see anything past your own nose, that the captain simply just waved his arm, allowing us through. However, he warned us to pay entry at the gates and be done with it.

"What would have happened if they still asked to search us?" Adel asked once we got far enough away.

"We would have killed them, which wouldn't have changed anything considering the numbers of bodies that swim up in the Tiber river daily," Mario shrugged. "But it's best if the enemy doesn't suspect us. A dead squad of armed guards on the job is a little above average crime."

I silently agreed with him. My belt and full arsenal of weapons, as well as Mario's armor with the Assassin and Auditore seals imprinted into the pauldrons would have given us away quickly. Adel had only a small symbol on her hip and a dagger that was fairly explainable, considering we were traveling through animal and bandit-infested lands.

Sokolo had to travel the storm in a large, covered cage. Adel hated to put him into a cage, but even more so make him fly during this downpour...

We didn't enter through the official gates, of course, as that would be an extremely stupid thing to do. Instead, we traveled around the major roads, slipping in without much incident.

"Where are we meeting them?" I asked as quietly as I could through the rain.

Mario didn't reply, just leading us through the narrow streets in an uncertain direction. Soon, I walked more freely. Once the rain eased up, I even got some enjoyment from the unofficial tour, catching the drops with my face with pleasure. The sudden memory of my mother twirling in the rain in the middle of a deserted street came to mind. I could almost imagine the spinning of her yellow umbrella, the only bright spot in the gray city...

I fought the urge to break into a dance myself, feeling rather silly, though the wet streets looked very tempting. Then again, anyone beside me at this moment would have thought me insane.

"We'll set up temporary headquarters near the Basilica," Mario finally informed me after we roamed through the streets for almost an hour.

"The owner won't mind?" I raised an eyebrow, though I doubt he saw it.

"The owner is just as fed up with the Borgias as the rest of the city," he waved his hand.

"Can you tell me where it is?"

"Yes, it's just across the apothecary's shop right down that street."

"Lovely. I'll see you later, then." I took a moment to throw my eyes around the street, memorizing its location, and made a step out of our small group.

"Where are you going?" Adel asked with alarm.

"I can't rest in a location I haven't explored," I shrugged, "Don't worry, I'll stay out of trouble."

* * *

"This walkway is your best chance of getting into the Basilica," Niccolo pointed to the map, "If our plan works, the security will be minimal, allowing you a clear path."

"_Capisco_," Ezio nodded, tracing the walkway with his finger. "It's best if I catch him off guard, or he might rush things…or go into hiding."

"Then make sure you dispose of all witnesses of your infiltration until he's dead, then," Mario nodded. "We will explore the area tomorrow morning, so hopefully we can begin soon."

"Where is Eden?" Ezio suddenly glanced around the room, realizing there was someone missing.

"Outside," Adel chirped, "She went to scout, but then...I think she lost her mind."

"For the hundredth time already? Lord, what is she doing?" Ezio walked over to the window, opened it, and leaned out. Thankfully, he was protected from the now thin rain by the overhanging balcony, so he could see properly. "Eden!" he called out

"Shoo," was her only response. She didn't even look at him, still staring at the sky with a euphoric expression.

"Eden, I realize you're mad at me, but that's no reason to freeze yourself to death!"

"No. I will get a cold, and I will die, and then you'll all see. I will haunt your asses beyond the grave and make you feel absolutely awful about it."

He sighed, looking back to the rest of the assassins, who were back to hovering over the map, tactfully leaving them to their argument. Then he lightly jumped over the window sill, landing soundlessly in the street. As he walked towards her, he unlaced his cape, and went to wrap it around her shoulders. However, she just proudly refused it.

"You're missing all the planning, you realize."

She didn't reply, still not looking at him in an almost childish manner.

"If you get a cold, you're not going to participate in the mission tomorrow."

That did the trick. She jerked her shoulder, and then turned and walked through the doors. Letting out a breath of relief, he followed. Yet she didn't head upstairs to the meeting, but instead turned towards the bedrooms.

Deciding enough was enough, he followed her into the room. She completely disregarded his presence as she shut the door, beginning to dry her hair.

They shared the silence for a long moment, and when he couldn't take it anymore, he spoke first. "Eden, can you please stop acting like a child?"

She looked at him with raised eyebrows, almost surprised.

"Children pout," she argued, "But I am seething with wrath," she sniffed, "And frankly, giving you what you deserve."

Well, at least it was progress...

"But you can just try to tell me to shut up," she suddenly added, voice barely above a hiss. Ezio immediately felt like groaning, "You seem to be getting better at giving orders..."

"Eden, I was desperate, and about to watch as the Apple escaped us once again and ended up in the hands of our worst enemy. I only-"

"I seem to recall something," she spoke slowly with forced calm, though he knew his wife long enough to know that underneath it, she was raging with all the fires of hell. "Like how when I agreed to wear this ring," she waved her left hand in the air, the wedding band flashing in the light, "We made a deal that nothing would change, and that you would _never_ try to order me around..."

"E-"

"As well as the fact that I would not be left behind on our missions, and I still belong to no one but myself. So tomorrow, you are going to just skip off on your mission to kill Borgia," she cut him off, now all but tearing her fingers through her wet braid, untangling it, "And expect me to just hang around, waiting for you to come back?"

Ezio was taken aback slightly. "Is that what you're so angry about?"

"I'm angry about a lot of things," she snarled. "I'm mad that you gave me an order! I am pissed off because you are dancing right into your possible death! And of course, I am _fucking livid_ that somehow, in the end, I am still just the wife of an assassin that is inferior and forced to wait behind, not knowing whether or not my husband is going to ever get back home! And I am absolutely _furious_ because you seem to be perfectly content with this idea!" She utterly despised the fact that she could the tears dancing along the edge of her voice. The only relief that she was too worked up to let them spill over.

"Is there any chance you're picking a fight?" he suddenly wondered, "Because it would make things easier if I don't come back?"

"There is…a _slight_ possibility of that being the case," she grumbled, voice dropping as she turned away, continuing to dry her hair again. "Ezio," she sighed, "Try, just for one minute, to put yourself in my position, _si? _What if it was me off on another suicide mission against a person that refused to die up to now? And just try to imagine that this same person is already armed with another Piece of Eden. Oh, and I forgot to mention that he's also surrounded by fortressed walls and elite, mercenary guards?"

He obediently imagined the scenario. Almost instantly, his eyes widened, a violent shiver running down his spine and causing his hand to instinctively clutch the dagger in his swordbelt.

His grimace certainly wasn't hard to miss. "Not a pleasant prospect is it?" she muttered. "But one we have always dealt with this so far. So this time, do you honestly expect me to just sit down with my hands folded? Waiting for you to come back either horribly injured, or at worst, _dead? _And that's assuming the Borgia bastards even bother to send the body back in one piece-"

"Eden, please, listen to me," he put a hand on her shoulder, spinning her around to face him properly. Her sharp eyes stared back defiantly, the familiar stubborn expression he'd come used to over the years evident on her face. "I have to do this, and you know perfectly well why. But if I don't make it out-" he swiftly put a finger on her lips as she began to say something. "_If_ that's the case, then at least I can die with the knowledge that you're safe. As you've told me yourself many times, 'don't do anything stupid.'"

Shoulders sagging, she hung her head a bit before swiftly looked up, meeting his gaze. "So after thirteen years, you still haven't caught on that that rule implied only to you?" she vainly tried to hold back a grin. He almost let out a relieved breath as he sensed that the storm was over. "I don't remember a single stupid situation I've gotten myself into that I could not get out of. You, on the other hand..." she poked him in the chest.

"Perhaps you're conveniently forgetting the incident in which you were almost executed in Spain?"

"I'm still here, ain't I?" she smirked, immediately appreciating the way he took her hand in his, interlacing his fingers with hers. "And with no help from you, by the way. You missed the rope by a mile!"

"An inch!"

"An inch that could have killed me if I wasn't the amazing and awesome person I am!"

"...fine," he allowed. "But please, think logically, I know you're good at that. If we say for one moment that you are not my wife, but only my partner, it doesn't change anything. It will be much easier for one person to get in an out rather than two."

"Nope, not buying it," she adamantly shook her head in disagreement as she pulled her hand out of his, though she made no move to extract herself from where he still had a hand on her shoulder. "We made it work before. Hell, we all but specialize in saving each others asses! Have you already forgotten? Or did the decade we spent of minor contracts and training Adel completely wipe your memory of those days when it was just the two of us against what seemed like the entire world?"

Ezio felt his determination to keep her out of the basilica chipping away. He wanted her there just as much as she wanted to come along. She spoke truly, for together, they were a force that enemies in good sense hurried to clear the path away from. Either always her watching his back, or the other way around, it was her fast daggers that complimented his heavier sword, her arm that pushed him upright when he stumbled, and her voice over the sounds of battle that gave him inspiration. Yet logic and common sense told him that it would just be too dangerous on this particular mission.

Eden knew him to well not to notice when his defenses were beginning to wear. Throwing her arms around his chest, she hugged him to her in a drowning man's grip, her fingers curling up along his shoulder blades. As she rested her forehead on his shoulder, he felt the warmth of her breathing on his collarbone. The strong, steady thrum of her heartbeat was unmistakable, especially with his heightened senses guiding him, as they always did.

"You're an idiot," she whispered. "Even after all we've been through, even after ten years of marriage, you are denying my help? Have I not proven myself to you?" she murmured into his skin, "What if you die tomorrow? Just imagine what would happen to us all if that happens..."

He did - and shivered. The fact that Rodrigo would get two very powerful artifacts and get inside the Vault, possibly bringing on the worst era in the history of the world...absolutely mind-numbing

"I'll tell you what would happen. Claudia and your nephew Federico would be crushed. You mother would sink back into her shock, perhaps to never claw her way out of it again. Mario would drown himself in alcohol. And the Assassins as a whole would lose all remaining faith. Perhaps even worse, the entire Order will be wiped out completely. And while you wouldn't care much while you're six feet under..." Eden's voice nearly broke on that, her tears now opening spilling down her cheeks, despite her mounting efforts, "I can't... I won't let you do that to us, or- mmph!" Before she could continue, he captured her mouth with his, utterly unyielding, nearly daring her to speak.

For he didn't want to hear more.

* * *

I pulled away only a few moments into the kiss.

"Well aren't you a brave one," I whispered mockingly against his lips, my eyes boring into his intensely. "You will have to work much harder than that to-"

For a moment, I wondered if I pushed him too far.

This time he shut me up by a more fierce, bruising kiss. Encouraged by the noise of approval that came from my throat, he grasped my shoulders and pushed me into the wall with enough force to jolt my senses. It hurt, but I was suddenly so caught up in the moment that I barely even noticed the pain. For it would be _nothing _compared what I would feel should I loose him…

How could I let him go alone? How could I possibly stay behind and allow him to wander straight into mortal danger when I needed him so much that I could barely breathe at the thought of him dying? When all of my being suddenly relied on nothing else but him? When I could not even bear the thought that this could possibly be our last night together?

His hands did not stop for even a second, roaming my body, exploring it for the thousandth time, touching all the places that he knew drove me wild. I repaid him in kind, my fingers grasping his hair in an attempt to deepen the kiss further. My other hand already moving on removing his armor, the intricate lacings and buckles were infinitely familiar to me now.

"I'm coming with you," I hissed to him in the moments when we had to pull away for air, "If only so I can save your insolent ass from getting killed."

There were no objections this time around.

And even if there were, I would not have listened.


	48. Finish

The operation started almost a week later, instead of the predicted two, and early in the morning instead of under the cover of night. It was almost surprising how fast they could get into position once they remembered the new details.

It was not a secret that in the evening, Borgia would be locked away in the Papal apartments. Likely with a few young courtesans, and under very heavy defense that we had almost no hope of penetrating without an ally on the inside. We also knew that the Pope had sent people all across Italy and beyond to search for more artifacts, so time was against us.

So once all was said and done, Ezio found himself on the dock at the base of the passage beneath the Basilica, just as the morning Mass started. He was alone and fully equipped, with Eden's good-luck kiss burning slightly on his cheek and the warmth from where Mario slammed his shoulder blade in farewell. In other words, he was completely and utterly determined to put an end to the Borgia's plot once and for all.

As Eden was searching an alternative route in, he knew she would find it. So all he could do now was put her out of his head, and begin the climb up.

He could hear the guards' conversations up on the first platform, their words clear, snappy, and exceedingly professional. Unlike the other guards Ezio had come across, these did not utter a single word of complaint, nor did they sound bored or distracted. However, their footsteps were just as heavy, giving him a clear picture of what was happening and their positions along the roof.

He waited just below the edge of the parapet, the guard above right along his line of approach. He knew that as soon as the guard crossed in front of him, the others' back would be turned. It became the last unpleasant surprise in the guard's life when Ezio shot his hand to his throat, piercing it, and pulling him over. He made no sound until he hit the water.

"What was that?" The captain asked coolly, turning to where the guard was standing but a second ago. However, the captain didn't scream, panic, or even attempt to flee, instead letting out a barely noticeable huff of frustration, "Seems like the Maestro was right, the assassin has come..."

It would have been naive to expect that Alexander did not know they were coming sooner or later. Not to mention, Rome was his territory, and his spy network was likely even better than the Assassins', especially considering their presence wasn't strong in this region of _Italia._

Ezio popped up from his spot as soon as he heard the nonchalant words. One way or another, they would never get the time to raise the alarm.

The captain spoke no more, his body crumbling to the ground as Ezio lightly leapt upwards and stabbed him clean through before tossing his body down into the Tiber River below. From then on, the assassin continued to move through each guard post, quietly killing off the men and avoiding them as much as he could.

The real trouble came just as he was passing the Castel Sant'Angelo. The guards were truly much better trained than the others he had encountered, one noticing him just as he was crossing over a short watch tower.

"There he is! Don't let him get away!" the yell reached his ears, as well as all those of the guards patrolling the wall. He cursed under his breath, but knew there was nothing to be done. The only way now was forward...

He jumped down, quickly rolling to his feet and leaping up to the teeth of the wall, narrowly avoiding the blades and spears. The gates of the next tower began to slowly close, but Ezio managed to tumble under them just in time, effectively sealing off his pursuers.

"_Merda_! Archers!" the captain commanded, and Ezio's run was only encouraged by the two arrows that got stuck in between the stones in the same spot he was standing only a moment ago.

_Where are those damned apartments?_ he thought as he ran along the stone ramparts. The domes of the Basilica were approaching with deceptive slowness. But after less than a minute, somehow, he'd reached his destination. Or at least the landing leading into it.

Saint Peter's Basilica was currently in a sad state, judging by the exterior. It was apparent that Borgia showed little interest in rebuilding it, as one of his predecessors had planned. The building structures surrounding the dome itself was likely more able to keep it from falling on their heads rather than renovations. It was almost sad; the impressive size of the basilica and the halfway completed church showed great potential in the right hands.

Perhaps the next Pope would give more thought on its rebuilding. As well as its fortification.

* * *

"I could have sworn-"

"Just your eyes playing tricks," the man growled with frustration, just as unhappy about losing sight of the intruder. "There is only one Assassin, and do you really think he'd pick such an obvious route?"

_Idiots,_ was my only mocking thought as I hung upside down from the beam just above them. Playing hide and seek with the papal guards was much more dangerous, though there was a twisted sense of fun in the game. It was fair play, though, as it completely their fault for wearing such sight-restrictive helmets.

The two guards continued further down the hall, still tense and keeping their weapons in their hands. But I had no intention of following them. Instead, I swung on the beam, setting myself upright and assessing the situation.

Given the time, Ezio was likely near now. The High Mass was half-way over, and the other Assassins were likely partying to the fullest, causing trouble in the city. My mind wondered to Adel briefly. Yet as I pictured her playing the games I unintentionally taught her, I inexplicably felt sick to the stomach, and forced my mind back to the job.

After all, when we're on the job, there was no family. Only partners in crime.

I lightly jumped to the next beam, straining my ears for the echoing footsteps. To my great displeasure, the passages were like a maze. Hence, I had to force the plan of the basilica and surrounding apartments that I had been working on memorizing for years (ever since we found out that Borgia has become Pope) to swim up in front of my eyes more often than I liked. The passages looked completely unfamiliar in person, but together with the map, at least I felt as though I was moving in the right direction...

I smiled to myself as a random thought hit my head; how convenient it was that Borgia knew nothing of me, even if my survival was known. He reasonably assumed that the only passage that could possibly be taken by Ezio was through the Passeto, stationing the majority of the guards there. How could he have known that I would be the one insane woman to actually use the old boring method, via the front door?

Eventually, I came to a halt at the end of a corridor. It had three doors, each leading in different directions but looking the exact same. I sniffed the air, trying to orientate, but it gave little result. There was cool air drifting from somewhere, the smell of oil, and a specific, mildly acrid smell that tugged at my memory, but brought no epiphanies.

I dropped to the floor from the beams overhead, immediatelydeciding to not waste my time further. The draft was coming from straight ahead, and I could hear low voices in the room to the right. The left door had an impressive bolt on it, which surprised me; why was it on the outside?

My curiosity got the better of me, so I carefully slid it away from the door, opening it very gently and peeking into the crack.

Oh, sweet lord above, I wish I did not...

I slammed it again quickly, hurrying to put the lock back in place. The Hell Hounds, unlike normal dogs, did not raise their voices and didn't waste their time with barks and howls. The door visibly flinched, but thankfully withstood, and I jumped away from it, suddenly deciding that I'd rather go murder the Pope than hang around here. I did not like the look of those dents...

_"Are you trying to die?"_ Altair did not take kindly to me poking my nose where it shouldn't be.

_Shush it, grandpa. What got you out and about again?_ I mentally snapped, _Got bored of sitting in the depth of my brain?_

_"I got bored as soon as I appeared, there's not much in here."_

_'Lo and behold, the mighty assassin got himself a sense of humor. Now shut up, I'm trying to kill Templars here._

"_Anything for a righteous cause, then,"_ he quietly growled, calming down before his voice left my head once again.

_You could clean up in there or something while you're just sitting and doing nothing,_ I suggested jeeringly at his imaginary back.

I heard his humph, and then tense. You know, it's funny how I could feel my own hallucination as he suddenly froze, and looked around. I found my head twisting back to the hallway behind me.

_Hey! Quit it!_ I shook my head, regaining control quickly.

_"You're distracted. There's someone behind you,"_ Altair snapped in his own defense. We made a deal that he would never try to take over my body while I would not fight his conscience off or seek to get him out of my brain. But he did have his moments...

I realized what he said, and quickly pressed myself to the wall, hidden by the pillars. Sniffed the air. Listened closely.

My other resident was right, for I could now hear footsteps fast approaching this end of the hall. Two... damn it, I didn't have time to slip into the door I needed, but I didn't want to stay beside the dog pens for any longer...

Once again, my body moved almost on its own accord. Altair sensed my hesitation, and decided to give me a friendly push in the right direction. As soon as the two guards showed in my vision, I slipped behind them, and before they could react to me, I drove both my hidden blades into their throats. I hurriedly tried to catch the bodies, but both of them were too heavy for me, and they dropped down to the stone floor, making a helluva lot of noise. Goddamned armor…funny how in modern times, despite the weapons being far more deadlier, no one wore armor anymore, outside of the obligatory Kevlar, bulletproof vest.

I winced as another dent appeared in the thick doors that shielded me from the Hell Hounds. _What the hell?_ I snarled at Altair. _Keep your thoughts to yourself, old man!_

He must have realized that I was not impressed with his meddling in the slightest, and retreated, his presence all but leaving my mind.

I licked my lips - after ten years I was more or less used to him popping up every now and again. Not if before he was only ever there when my life was at risk or I needed to talk to him. Now he was showing up more and more often, as if something... excited him...?

_The Vault_, I realized as I finally got out of the hallway. He spent his time with the Apple, sifting over its knowledge, but he had never physically seen the Vault. Now, he finally had his chance, through me.

* * *

The prayers came from below. The winded passage in Latin rang out in the same, calmly monotone voice that infuriated Ezio beyond belief as he silently crept over the scaffolding along the perimeter of the room. The blank ceiling looked infinite above his head, the candlelight never reaching it, but illuminating the crowds below well enough. Guards were lined thickly along the walls, and robed priests and monks stood in a sharp rectangle, all with their heads bowed, diligently listening to the Pope.

Rodrigo Borgia himself stood on the raised altar at the front of the room. The papal staff was there as well, glittering with disregard to the room's lights in a way characteristic to the Pieces of Eden.

Ezio knew he would have to move fast. His target couldn't even have the opportunity to react, as there was no predicting what would happen if the Apple's power was matched against the Staff's...

The boards didn't creak beneath his feet as he took his position, over his enemy's head. There he was...the man who cost him a life of peace, his family, the man who actively hunted his Brotherhood, the man who drove him on his endless journey of vengeance and murder for over a decade. The whole reason for the blood lust singing into Ezio's ears-

The air seemed to vibrate around him, smothering the feral growl that broke through his chest, for he finally felt the neck he had longed to break for all those years...

His weight crushed the now old man down to the floor, stopping his chant mid sentence, his eyes snapping shut. Ezio felt his entire body shaking violently, his breath shallow and strained, though not with any sort of fatigue. Rather, the culmination of years of patient, arduous planning. A instinctive snap of his wrists, and his blade extended before he could even think properly.

"I thought I was above this," he hissed, frenzied gaze nearly glowing, dangerous, deadly, molten gold, "But I've waited for too long... been through too much..._Requescat in Pace_, you bastard-!"

But before he could bring his father's blade down for the finishing blow, the cold eyes snapped open.

_"I don't think so!"_

The next moment, Ezio was in the air again, blown away by some unforeseen force, making him tumble over his shoulder. The people that watched the scene with amazement and shock just moments earlier rapidly fled out of his way, the guards not having the time to react and counter this deadly intruder...

Something even stranger happened the next moment. All those present began to let out small moans and shrieks, sinking down to the floor, their gasping howls dying in their throats as they vainly struggled to fight off the crushing force. The only man left standing was Alexander. Ezio felt the same power probe at his defenses, yanking and pulling at his thoughts. But fortunately, it seemed to recognize the Apple, seeping away and allowing him to rise to his feet.

"How can you resist?" the Pope asked with mild surprise. Ezio, not in answer to the question, but in his own interests, reached for his own artifact. "Ah, the _Apple_. How kind of you to bring it...now give it here!"

"Go fuck yourself," Ezio quietly retorted, with barely-controlled rage

The Spaniard broke into loud laughter. "Always the fighter, like you father. Well, rejoice, my child, for you will see him soon... You will give it to me!"

"As you wish." Ezio grasped the ball with both his hands, forcing his will into it.

A dark shadow stepped out of him, its form materializing immediately and walking forward. Out of the figure, another one formed, and then more, until four identical copies of Ezio stood in front of him, baring their blades against Rodrigo. They were identical, right down to their efficient movements and deadly focus on their enemy.

"Fascinating power," Rodrigo sneered, seemingly undaunted, "But if you think it will save you..." The Pope swung down his staff, suddenly grasping it like a spear. The sharp end of it pointed towards Ezio left not doubt of his intentions. "You've got another thing coming!"

"We'll see," Ezio muttered, pulling out his own sword. His clones charged into battle, surrounding the Pope with strategic precision. Borgia effectively wielded his makeshift spear, however, somehow managing to deflect any and all strikes. For an old man, he was still agile on his feet, all these years apparently doing almost nothing to his ability...

"Nearly fifteen years you've been chasing me, only to meet your end here. It's pathetic, you should have run while you still could."

Ezio almost laughed. "After you killed my father and brothers? Forced me into hiding? Attacked my Uncle, nearly cost me mine and Leonardo's life in mountains, killed Eden-"

"Ah, yes, your wife. You didn't actually think that her little trick would fool me, did you? Though I admit, I thought her dead for a while, but the staff knows lies...what will happen to your wife when _you're_ dead, I wonder? She'll be found soon enough, along with the rest of your little brotherhood." Ezio knew that the Spaniard was trying to provoke him into doing something foolish, yet he couldn't help but grit his teeth, itching to wipe the smirk off the bastard's face. "I think I'll wait a bit before killing her. She could prove to be rather entertaining..."

Ezio finally charged at that. His copies stepped out of his way, allowing him clear access to storm through Borgia's defenses. Altair's sword clashed with the staff, but his weapon withstood, swiftly connecting again and again for more blows. His enemy was already waning, human fatigue drawing him down, his age letting itself known. His movements becoming more sluggish and wide, Ezio could almost taste the victory-

"_No! _You will not take this from me!" Ezio could see that the man was struggling to even stay upright now, only his will and madness keeping his head up.

"It's finished, Rodrigo! Lay down your arms and I will make sure the end comes swiftly!" Ezio's copies disappeared in a light cobweb of flickering, golden light, no longer needed. The tip of his sword was unmovable as it stared at Borgia's neck.

"Really, Ezio? And would you give up so easily if it were the other way around?"

Ezio should have expected that.

The point of the Staff slammed in between the mosaics of the floor, and the now familiar force hurled his chest backwards. His sword falling out of his grip, he grunted with surprise as he collided with the floor. This time struggling to get up again, he searched for the he was no longer in sight.

_Did he escape...?_ Ezio reached for the Apple again, hoping it would show him what he needed. However, the next thing he knew, his wrist was crushed to the floor, the artifact rolling away from his fingers.

"At last!" Rodrigo appeared out of thin air above him, and almost casually picked up the Apple. Ezio watched with growing horror as he pushed it into the cradle of the staff, at the top of it. It clicked into place as though it always belonged there. "Now," the Pope cruelly smirked, eyes ablaze with his seeming victory, "To deal with you."

Alexander raised a commanding arm, and Ezio felt himself being lifted into the air. Soon, he could no longer even feel the ground under his feet, unable to move even an eyeball. Completely at the mercy of his enemy and the two Pieces of Eden

_"NO!"_

The pope's head snapped in the direction, and Ezio felt his stomach sink further as he recognized the voice. There was familiar whistling of blades, but Alexander was ready for it.

The Apple's glow brightened. The footsteps faltered.

"And there's your beloved wife. Someone you stupidly trust with your back...come here, wench."

Ezio silently prayed to anyone that was listening that he would not hear what came next - slow, hesitant and much heavier footsteps. As she came into sight he wanted to let out a groan at the sight.

She was standing unnaturally straight, her face totally blank, her arms limply at her sides, the knives in them barely hanging on her fingertips. Her eyes were trained on the Apple in the old man's hands, with the same spark of mad curiosity and desire in her eyes that he'd seen a decade ago when she held the artifact and searched for her answers inside of it.

But that wasn't right; she'd developed her immunity, for the sake of everyone, including herself. There was no way that she would so easily be bewitched now, especially when she battled Savonarola's will so hard.

And yet...

The Spaniard walked around her, almost curiously examining her. There was a manic fascination in his eyes as he hooked his fingers around her hood, and pulled it down.

"A little scarred, but still beautiful," he coldly declared, "I will enjoy my time with you, for certain." Ezio clenched his teeth as he watched the old man hiss into her ear, loud enough for him to hear, mocking him.

"So much as touch her, and I will send your soul to the deepest levels of hell," he snarled. Rodrigo found the seemingly empty threat amusing. As though to infuriate him further, he brought a hand up to Eden's cheek, running a finger over her skin. Eden's eyes were in front of her, staring off to space.

"I'll have fun extracting the information out of her head. But for now, I have places to be, a destiny to claim. So let me give you the pleasure of dying by your own wife's hand." The Spaniard once again leaned to her ear, moving away strands of hair away from it. The order was blunt.

"Kill him."

Eden shifted her head up, and her grip on her weapon renewed. She took a shaky, but steady step towards Ezio, staring him in the eyes but still unseeing. For a long, painful moment, Ezio was sure that she would not be able to disobey the Apple's command. Even if she did, Borgia would kill them both. He even thought that it would be better this way. Her face would be the last thing he would ever see. She would be beside him in the last moment.

But it seemed that she had different plans. And Ezio could suddenly perceive something that the Spaniard could not.

Her eyes were filled with hard confidence and stubborn determination. He had to fight the breath of relief as to not give it away, but he realized that she was not under the Apple's influence.

...then why was she drawing her hand back as if to stab him...?

She grinned.

* * *

"You, _bella_," Ezio whispered to me, "Must be the most brilliant woman that has ever walked this earth."

I grinned, helping him sit up, "Were there ever any doubts?"

"How did you even come up with that?" he raised an eyebrow, as I quickly tended the small wound I made on his stomach for the effect, "I thought-"

"That I was actually going to let some insane old guy with a shiny ball make me stab my own husband?" I raised my eyebrows with reproach. "You should know me better."

"But how...?

"I told you I have my ways."

"So what would you have done if you were too late?"

"Tackle him with a bear hug, wrestle the artifacts away, and then wave my finger at him and tell him 'Bad Rodrigo! No more toys for you!'"

He stared at me for a moment, and then had to contain his laughter, leaning his head onto my shoulder. "You are a treasure. I shall never doubt your methods again...shouldn't we hurry?"

"I think we have a moment," I shrugged, "I wish we could have seen this sooner, it would have saved us some nerves."

"Hm?"

"We focused on the artifacts," I finally finished with his shallow wounds. I had to make the stab look convincing, which mean I had to draw blood. And considering that Altair's armor would have reduced my dagger into crumpled paper, I had to get creative, "And forgot another vital requirement."

"Are you going to share, or do I have to guess?"

"'Only the Prophet may open it,'" I quoted. "Even with the artifacts, he will never be able to get inside the Vault. So that means-"

"They are using him," he suddenly realized, "The artifacts are only using him-"

"To what means, I wonder," I mused. "But it doesn't matter. Alt- er, I realized that he was already wrapped up in them, and his insanity isn't helping much either. I don't know to explain it, but I think the Apple in his possession blinded him when he tried to control it, especially when he tried to use it against both of us. And at the same time, no less. Between you and me, I think it was enough to make him think you were fatally wounded and I was completely under his control."

"Genius," he repeated, getting up. "But that's enough theory, let's get back to the practical exam."

"What's wrong with them?" I suddenly asked, pointing to the nearest robed man, who was on the floor with his butt in the air. None of the people in the room reacted to anything anymore, as though they were all drained of their energy.

"He did something with the Staff did something," Ezio wildly waved about the room. "I don't think they'll be getting up any time soon, though they're still breathing where the hell did that figlio di puttuna go?"

"Over here." I knelt down again on the spot where I've seen the Pope disappear, knocking on the floor, "Hm. It's too thick to determine, but I think there's a passage here."

Ezio stood for a moment, and then blinked, forcing his eyes into Eagle Vision. I could see him scanning the room, while I searched with regular vision for any patterns in the early decorations of the church. In good memory of the Basilica in Venice, where Ezio told me he the picture in the center of the cross twisted to reveal the Assassin symbol...

"There," Ezio suddenly spoke, pointing to the circle on one side of the room, "And over there. Try pressing the center."

I quickly calculated the distance between the supposed button and the passage, and imagined the machinery behind the wall that would move the floor away. "How the hell do they come up with this stuff?" I asked rhetorically, as I pressed the circle that Ezio pointed towards. It gave in surprisingly easy, and once Ezio touched the other one, the familiar grinding of stone could be heard. The floor of the platform grunted, lowered, and slid towards the wall, revealing a wide set of stairs. "Wonder how-"

"No time," Ezio shook his head, already rushing down the stairs, "I have to catch up with him."

"You don't think I'll leave you alone now, do you?" I skeptically raised my eyebrows. "You could have probably died if I wasn't here. There is no way that I'm letting you repeat the experiment."

"I know," he sighed, giving almost too easily. "Alright, but I just have on thing to ask."

"What is it?" I looked down him suspiciously. He looked deadly serious and determined once again, already at the bottom of the stairs.

"Don't interfere with what I'm about to do."

"Unless you're about to kill yourself, fine," I agreed, hurrying down the stairs after him.

And immediately was taken aback.

The hallway in front of us was brightly illuminated by neon blue lights that ran down both sides of the floor. Unable to contain my curiosity, I crouched down, staring into the lamps, but my eyes soon began to hurt, forcing me to blink and quickly look away. Any longer, and I was sure I would get a raging headache.

"What is this place?" Ezio spoke, just as stunned.

"I have no idea," I honestly replied. "This seems almost...modern. Or even futuristic. How is this possible?"

"What are you looking for?"

"A 'Made in China' stamp," I quietly joked, but left the lamps alone. He looked at me strangely, but did not comment. After all, he had years to get used to my little comments that pertained to a future far outside of his time.

"Stay close," he just gestured, and we walked through the rest of the strange corridor only inches away from each other, as if afraid of becoming separated by traps or some other unforeseen circumstances.

"OPEN, DAMN YOU!" The voice howled up ahead, accompanied by echoing hits against something hard and solid.

This room was even stranger than the hallway. Circular, with a round hole in the middle that reminded me of an empty pool, it was surrounded by mosaics that were much different from the Basilica. The light was streaming from cross-shaped windows around the room, all funneling the sun's light squarely into the pool.

Rodrigo Borgia stood inside the strange lowered platform, on the opposite end from us, banging his fists into what I supposed was the door to the Vault. Ezio let out a small breath of relief, and giving me a swift kiss on the cheek, dropped soundlessly into the pool. I stayed at the lip of it, as he asked earlier, watching with growing interest.

"It's finished, Rodrigo," he walked forward confidently. As he approached the Templar, he took off his weapons one by one, letting them clang on the floor. Alexander turned around with shock, as he likely did not expect Ezio to recover in the matter of minutes. His small eyes looked up to me, and suddenly dangerously narrowed with nearly uncontained, absolute, rage. Ezio almost ignored him, continuing to rid himself of weapons. "No more tricks, no more weapons, and no more ancient artifacts. Just you and me." Last, he threw his father's gauntlet up to me, and I caught it with ease, pressing it to my stomach.

"You're a fool," the old man hissed after a few moments, still glaring at me. "You could have such power at your disposal, yet you want a fair match...how noble," he growled. Yet he took the challenge, not reaching for his staff or a blade.

"Eden is not a Piece," Ezio took his stance, "She never was."

"She's from a different world, that much I am certain of. All that technology, all that power. You silly little boy," he crowed with slithering pity, "Yet you never took advantage of it..."

"I am not a means of gaining power, you asshole," I spat. "Ezio, if you don't kill him, I swear to God, I will!"

"Do you think you're the only one of your kind, girl?" Borgia replied to me this time, as if sensing that if he continued to speak of me in third person, I would not hesitate in using my blades despite Ezio's request. "There've been others... and we did not hesitate in using them! Your nobility puts you at a disadvantage, don't you see?"

The Hell Hounds. I suddenly realized. But how...?

"This isn't about her," Ezio growled, dodging the first hit that Rodrigo tried to land. "What is inside that Vault? Why are you so eager to get access to it?"

"Do you honestly not realize? Are you telling me the great and powerful Assassins couldn't figure it out?"

"Stop dragging it out," I growled down on them.

"Silence your woman, Assassin," Borgia hissed, and I spat at him. Missed, as he got a nice punch in the face that actually got me to clap my hands with enthusiasm.

"Figure what out, exactly?" Ezio calmly retorted, forcing the old man back a few steps with each attack.

"God. It is God that lies inside the Vault."

Ezio actually laughed at that, disbelieving and utterly mocking. I just wondered how much of his sanity the Pope had lost to spew out such nonsense, if there was any of it left. "You expect me to believe that God lives beneath il Vaticano?"

"A more logical location than a kingdom on a cloud, don't you think? Surrounded by singing angels and cherubim. Makes for a lovely image, no?" Rodrigo huffed, just barely dodging a potential blow that would've surely broken his nose. "But the truth is far more interesting!"

I had to admit that he had a point. I have never believed in religion, not finding the supposed God in any part of my life in New York. Things were inverted. All my misfortune was brought on my head by the hands of humans, and nothing more. But since I had joined Ezio on his journey, I came to at the very least leave room for the concept of The Almighty. After all, Eden, or something of the like, was real. The Pieces were real, though I could still find no logical explanation aside from magic, which still seemed impossible. What if Rodrigo was on the right train of thought...?

Ezio must have been thinking the same way, because he asked, "Let's say I was to believe you. What do you think he'll do when you open that door?"

"I don't care," Alexander spoke sincerely, the insanity lacing his voice. I knew it, he's lost his last marbles... "It's not approval I'm after! Just power!"

"And you think he'll just give it up?"

"Whatever lies beyond that wall won't be able to resist the staff and apple. They were made for felling Gods!"

"That makes no sense," I disagreed from up above, "They were made for control. To control humans, likely. If anything, it were the Gods that created them in the first place."

"God is supposed to be all knowing, and all powerful. Do you really think a few ancient relics will bring him to his knees?" Ezio was as skeptical as me, though for different reasons.

"Even your wife has a clearer idea of it than you, so you obviously know nothing. You take your image of the creators from an ancient book. A book, mind you, written my men."

Ezio certainly won't like that...

"You're the Pope! And yet you dismiss the central text of your faith?"

"Are you so naive?" It was strange how even beat down, heavily bruised by now, with blood smothering his face, Borgia could still laugh with such a maniacal passion. "I became Pope because it gave me access! It gave me power! Do you think I believe a single god-damned word of that ridiculous book? It's all lies and superstition. Just like every other religious tract written over the past ten thousand yea-"

Ezio's hands closed around the old man's throat, effectively cutting off the rest of his speech. I stared, not without sadism as he desperately flailed his weakened arms around, trying to get the Assassin off of him, but it was no use. Ezio forced him to the ground, and finally, just when he was about to pass out of suffocation, let go.

Gasping for breath, but now rendered unable to move, Rodrigo looked pathetic. He lost all his arrogance and superiority, and for a moment, I felt outright pity towards the man. "You can't! You can't! It's my destiny- **MINE**! I am the prophet!" he screamed.

I slid down to the bottom of the pool, ready to take action if he made another desperate attempt to kill my husband. But his strength and will left him now, no matter how much he tried to crawl further towards his enemy.

"You never were," Ezio spoke with clear death in his voice. I stood by his side, waiting.

"Get it over with, then-"

"No." To both Borgia's and my surprise, Ezio refused, extracting himself from the Pope's desperate grasp, and getting up. "Killing you won't bring my family back... I'm done."

I almost choked on that, my hand flying to his arm.

"Ezio, he-"

"I know. But it will not change anything," he wearily replied, "Not a thing."

I looked at him, and then to Rodrigo, still whining in pain on the floor. I thought of Ezio's brothers and father that died for him, for Ezio's mother that was in a catatonic state for over a decade, for Claudia, a near-prisoner in hiding in Monteriggioni. I thought of my husband's ruined innocence. I thought to the incident that forced me to fake my own death, and the many years of war that we were pushed into, where countless people died and suffered, all in the name of Borgia's scrabble for power-

I barely even realized that my hands were clenching tightly at my side, my eyes narrowed with murderous hatred at the man.

"Then If you don't," I hissed, my voice almost unrecognizable even to myself, "I will!"

"Eden, no!" Ezio caught my arm just as I extended my father's hidden blade. "Per l'amore del dio! Please, there's been enough death."

I twisted to face him, meaning to let out a furious retort...only to stop dead at the look on his face.

He looked almost heartbreakingly tired, as if the past thirteen years of war crushed him underfoot all at once in that moment. Dull, beleaguered hazel, his eyes pleaded me, as though trying to call out to the small part of me that could ever restrain from finishing a kill. I felt my anger evaporate, and I closed my eyes for a second, relaxing my body. The hidden blade snapped back into its bracer.

"We are going to regret this," I quietly insisted, voice so low, only he could hear me.

"We'll see," he replied, just as calmly. Letting go of my arm, he looked back to Rodrigo. "Nothing is true. Everything is permitted. Requescat in Pace."

And without even a second look to the unfinished target, he walked over to the staff standing in the middle of the room.

It greeted his approach with a pulsating glow. Confidently, as though he had done this many times before, Ezio put his hands on the golden shaft of the staff, and closed his eyes in concentration. I watched, shocked, and even Rodrigo seemed mesmerized for a second as the power came alive in the assassin's hands.

The light projected onto the wall that the Spaniard had been trying to open unsuccessfully, and as if verifying a return of the sacred artifact, the wall replied with similar glow at the seams before sliding away. Ezio nodded in satisfaction, and took the Apple from the head of the staff.

"Eden, let's go."

I was slightly taken aback. On one hand, I was curious as hell as to what the Vault was. But on the other "Ezio, I think it's for you to see alone."

"Don't be silly. You have just as much right for this as I do. Just as much as my Uncle and the rest of the Order." He took my hand, leading me into the corridor. "It's like you said once; we are together in this from the beginning, and so we shall be so at the end."

For the second time today, my breath was taken away.

Before, when I had wondered about the Vault, the only thing that came to mind was a dusty room filled with money. It never really had a defined shape or color, and I had no idea what to truly expect from it.

What I saw now...it was stunning, almost heartbreakingly beautiful. Utterly surreal, it was beyond anything I could have ever pictured in my mind's eye. Pitch dark on first sight, as we moved through the hallway, glyphs and letters would light up on to fade as we passed all around us, on the walls, floors, the ceiling. The unknown language illuminated with the same shimmering, golden glow that the artifacts did, I was once again stumped. What was it? Paint? Lights? Why did it seem as though they were reacting to our presence?

How was this room possible...?

I didn't know the answers. But perhaps that was the point of this sacred place, like that of God's domain? To quote Altair, we could not even begin to fathom it. Only witness and accept. The strange effect that it had on my blood, as though I recognized something from a former life, strangely familiar...

"This is-" Ezio whispered, eyes wide and almost afraid,"How is this-"

"I I-I don't know," I replied, still trying to take in all the details at once and failing miserably.

"Greetings, prophet."

The voice rang from up ahead, filling up the room, though is almost seemed to echo in my head, pulling at my skin and nails in all of its command. Distinctively female, I realized, but it could not possibly belong to a human. Golden strings of light appeared, coming from the walls and floor, knitting together in a cocoon in the middle of the room. The light was blinding, forcing us to shield our eyes for a brief moment, my mind racing with the implications of what were witnessing. Once I could properly see again, another surprise waited.

It was a woman. Or at least, something in close resemblance. She was absolutely striking, her beauty almost knowing no bounds, glowing. Yet the gold of her outline was transparent, as if she was only a specter amidst darkness. Her robes flowed about her slender form, and upon her head, a tall crown. Combined with her graceful posture and narrowed eyes of regard, there was no doubt we were in presence of nobility. No, not noble...something beyond that.

"It is good you have come. Let us see it. To give thanks," her voice echoed and vibrated, tumbling down around us like a waterfall of pebbles. The woman raised an elegant hand towards Ezio. It took a moment to figure out what she wanted, and then he tentatively held out the Apple, staring as if in trance. She did not take it, however, but held her palm over it.

The reaction was immediate, and stronger than anything it ever gave in greeting to Ezio or me. I swallowed with alarm, trying to understand, but it just seemed so...impossible.

She took her hand away, and then looked at me sharply. "You are not supposed to be here. But it doesn't matter. We must speak." She looked away, into the wall behind us.

"Who are you?" Ezio spoke quietly, in awe.

"Many names," she almost smiled, though it was gone in less than a blink of an eye. "When I died, it was Minerva. Before that, Merva and Mera. And on and on " She raised her arm, motioning to the pillars around the room that were decorated with strange glyphs. They seemed to glow even brighter at her words, "The others, too: Juno, who was before called Uni. Jupiter, who was before called Tinia..."

I felt shivers run down my spine with each word that came from Minerva, a foreign feeling washing across my brain. I was fearful, nay terrified, wishing to be as far away from her as possible. Yet she drew me in, a siren song sparking a wild fire of curiosity and awe. The conflicting emotions seemed to bubble up from blood itself, as though it was a newly discovered instinct. I took a small step towards Ezio, grasping his arm as though my life absolutely depended on him perhaps it did. He flinched slightly, as though he had forgotten I was even there with him, only to slide a secure arm about my waist.

"You are gods." he stated quietly, recognizing the names that held no meaning to me aside from the planet Jupiter.

The woman laughed, not quite mocking but vibrating in my ears. "No, not gods. We simply came...before. Even when we walked the world, your kind struggled to understand our existence."

'Your kind?' I immediately picked up, She isn't human. Ezio's tightening grip on my hip signaled he'd realized the same.

She did not shift her stance or barely seemed to register out response as behind her, another hologram began to form. "We were more... advanced in time. Your minds were not yet ready. Still... not. Maybe never."

I suddenly recognized the shapes of light - it was the solar system that formed in the room all around us, with the huge orb of the sun directly behind the woman. Earth spiraled close to us, though it looked much different that the world maps, at least those in Ezio's time. From what little I remembered of school and combined with our trips to Spain, I knew the New World had barely been discovered. Yet this map appeared thoroughly modern.

"No matter. You may not comprehend us. But you will comprehend our warning," Minerva resolutely insisted, "You must."

"None of what you're saying makes any sense-" Ezio began, but she cut him off.

"Our words are not meant for you."

"Eden-?" he stared at me, and I involuntarily tensed.

"No. I do not wish to speak with you. But through you. You are the prophet. She does not belong here. It matters little. You've played your parts. You anchor him. But please, be silent. So that we may commune."

I met Ezio's confused state, and gave a little shake of the head to let him know I had about as much idea of what the hell was going on as he did.

"Listen," Minerva commanded and her visage disappeared, but not her voice. "When we were still flesh, and our home still whole, your kind betrayed us. We, who made you. We, who gave you life..." I recognized the new projection as an Egyptian styled drawing. Someone - or something was towering over humans, holding the Apple. Pieces of the puzzle were already beginning to come together in my head, but I did not speak up just yet.

"We were strong. But you were many. And both of us craved war. So busy were we with earthly concerns, we failed to notice the heavens. And by the time we did..." The sun appeared once again, "The world burned until nothing remained but ash. It should have ended then and there. But we built you in our own image. We build you to survive. And so, we did. Few were our numbers. Your kind and mine. It took sacrifice. Strength. Compassion. But we rebuilt. An as life returned to the world...we endeavored to ensure this tragedy would not be repeated."

"But now, we are dying...and time will work against us. Truth turned into myth and legend. What we built, misunderstood. Let my words preserve the message and make a record of our loss. But let my words also bring hope. You must find the other temples. Built by those who knew to turn away from war. They worked to protect us - to save us from the fire. If you can find them...if their work can be saved, so too, shall this world. Be quick! For time grows short. And guard against the cross- for there are many who will stand in your way."

Silence and darkness fell onto the room for only brief seconds, and then Minerva reappeared.

"It is done. The message is delivered. Our knowledge...our blood...for there was not always war. Between our kinds. Our gifts shall guide you. Protect you. You are such, as are they...I see now that our blood...remains. In you. In the child. But as for us, we are gone. All of us. We can do no more...the rest is in your hands, Desmond."

Leaving us completely stunned, the woman closed her eyes, and began to disappear once more.

"W-wait! Who is Desmond?" Ezio exclaimed, yanking away from me and realizing that within but a few seconds the woman would be completely gone. "Please, wait-"

But she was already gone.

"What the fuck...?" I was the first to express our shock, which was, I was sure, a mutual feeling. Really, I didn't know what other response there was.

"Did you- _cazzo_!...understand even a single word of that?" Ezio slowly turned to me.

"N-no, but uh, I was thinking about it, you know, while she talked," I began uncertainly. "They were advanced, so that would explain the Artifacts. Why they worked, how they worked. They were not built to control us, but we were built to be controlled by them!" I looked wildly at Ezio, "It's theoretically possible. If there was a transmitter, or something that could control our brains..."

"Eden, shhh," Ezio put a finger on my lips, knowing that if he didn't stop me now, I'd go into a long theoretical rant that he would not understand a word of. "Let's get out of here, find Mario and the rest of the Assassins, and tell them what happened. Then you can lay it all out for them. Ideally, together, maybe we can make sense of this."

I nodded in agreement, feeling a sudden rush of excitement. This was what I'd been trying to unravel since I first got my hands on the Apple! "But those pictures! If I could just memorize a few, maybe Leonardo would have a clue as to-"

But I couldn't even finish the sentence.

The light brightened almost painfully for a moment, and then there was a screech of metal and stone. Before our eyes, the triangular pillars detached themselves from the ceiling, and pulled themselves into the ground.

"Merda. Well, forget that idea, then," I sighed. "Let's get out of here before there are any more unpleasant surprises."

"I couldn't agree more," Ezio nodded, moving towards the light of the outside world. I swiftly followed. "We shouldn't leave the staff to Borgia, lest he gets any more bright ideas of taking over the world."

"Go ahead, I'll figure out how the hell to get out," I nodded, looking around the circular walls. Hm, they seemed much shorter before...

I whipped around once I heard new screeching of what sounded like metal upon stone. Ezio let out a surprised noise as the staff that he attempted to pry out of the floor remained firmly in place, swallowed up the slowing swiftly sinking stone. I moved to help, but the tiles already closed over the tip of it.

The ground began to shake.

"What was that about unpleasant surprises?" Ezio huffed, gaze darting upwards, "Cazzo! The walls are growing!"

"No, the floor is sinking," I corrected him automatically. I nearly toppled over once we finally stopped descending with a thud. Thankfully, the stone around us came to a complete stop once again. And I got the feeling that this time, it was for good.

"Well thank Minerva," I breathed out.

"Believe in Gods now?" Ezio asked with a similar sigh of relief as he began to climb up the walls.

"They weren't technically gods, but more along the lines of aliens," I thoughtfully replied, at his heels.

"Strangers?"

"No. People-" I thought for a second in my own climb, thinking of how to say it to include the situation we just witnessed, "Another intelligent race. Usually from out of space but I guess this qualifies."

I heard him let out a small cough, and he gave me a hand, helping me get up over the edge.

We did not waste much time on trying to figure out how to leave, for we simply walked out the massive front doors, knocked out the guards, and walked away from the Basilica.

"You should have killed him," I spoke up after we were roughly half way through the plaza, "He'll come back and bite us in the ass later."

"I know. But it will take a while for him to recover. And if he does not learn his lesson...then let him come. I'll be more than happy to repeat the lecture," Ezio shrugged. "Besides, it's been years of strife," he sighed, and I swore I heard the exhaustion in his voice, which was startling. Arching a brow, I stole a glance at him, but he appeared unphased. Well, save his brief frown of contemplation. "I'm god-damned tired of vengeance. One strike for another, one threat met by two, or three, or four when does it end?" he breathed.

I admittedly had no answer for that one, though I think it was mostly a rhetorical question on his part. "I almost feel sorry for his children," I muttered randomly, "Those poor bastards never stood a chance with a father like hi-"

And I froze in my step.

"Eden?" Ezio turned back after realizing I was no longer keeping up. "Are you alright?"

"She said-" I muttered, "She said-"

"What is it?"

"She said their blood is in us. And in the child," I quoted.

Ezio stared at me with confusion for a long time, and then his eyes lowered to my hands as I folded them on my lower stomach. The next moment, he looked as if the Realization Train turned in its tracks and hit him square on the nose.

"Oh."

"Well said..."

"But-"

"I don't know."

"And-"

"Sure."

"You-"

"Yep."

"_Santa merda._" His words were not of scorn, but instead, of awe and shock.

I doubt that the mid-day patrol had ever seen a sight like it before - two assassins standing in the middle of the Saint Peter's Square, loudly squealing and spinning in excitement, the blood of the pope still on the man's robes...

* * *

_It is the irony of our existence, it would seem. A group that kills for peace and one that is worshiped despite i's true intent. Good people are destroyed and ground into the dust, yet the evil ones prosper. The rich remain rich, and the poor remain poor. Divergence and variation are feared and hated. The one choice that should be completely ours to make, such who to love, who to worship, what to learn and better ourselves with, is taken away from us._

_The gods that I thought mythological were real, despite them being dismissed as an old, pagan, a sin to even consider in this time. The proof of the one God everyone claims is non-existent, save for a book written by men that the rest believe blindly and without reason. Eden was not a place of paradise. The Sun that gives life has and will destroy it. Time, which is always continuous and flowing, was fooled by an insignificant mortal._

_And then there are the small things._

_I am a killer. Born and bred unto it from birth. It was a decision made for me, yet one that I support even now. It is the true irony that my name means, in so many people's heads, a beautiful, unspoiled, holy place, was created by God himself, where all nature lives in absolute harmony with itself._

_Hmm...the Irony of Eden. It's got a ring to it, I'll admit._

_Yet, no matter the number of those I have killed, I too, am capable of creating life._

"EDEN! COME HELP WITH THE DECORATIONS!"

"That bastardo is cheating on me, I know it!"

"Fresh fish!"

"Can you take a look at the cannons? You're the only engineer that isn't lying in bushes with a hangover!"

"Apple, mia cara?"

I smiled, pushing away the parchment, took the normal apple from Ezio's outstretched hand, and grinned up to the sun above Monteriggioni.

Life was good.

But...

I suddenly had to struggle to keep my smile. Niccolo stormed out of the villa when he heard we had let the Pope live. Caterina was harassed by papal and French armies, forcing her to seek our aid. Altair, who thought that once he'd seen the inside of the Vault, he would be free, was still knocking around in my head, trying to figure out what'd happened. Adelaide was becoming restless, Mario was forcing the building to finish the town's fortifications. There was no word from Leonardo, La Volpe disappeared in an unknown direction, and the Hell Hounds came back to plague everyone's minds, forcing us to dig up the sketches and studies that we'd done over one of those puppies so many years ago in Venice.

I could feel something brewing within my bones.

...for how long?

* * *

**Author's Note:**

And that concludes The Irony of Eden. Never fear, there is a sequel, and I have written it out, so there will be no procrastinating on it. If you want to know when it comes out, just add me to your Author alert, and it will automatically email you when I post it.

Before I label this story as completed, though, I want to address a few last things.

Huge thanks go to AC and Ubisoft for inspiring this story in the first place. Applause to my amazing beta, sphinx81, who helped me salvage the story in the beginning, and continued to contribute much in brainstorming and realism. I take my hat off (and take a shot) to my now deceased best friend, who had much more experience than me with the illegal side of the world- her recounts of the gangs, dealers, and general backstreet mayhem helped out more than any encyclopedia or book.

Also, a few other sources that I actively used throughout the story, and plan to reference to in the future:

-Wikipedia

-The Borgia Wiki

-Assassins Creed Wiki

-"Assassins Creed: Renaissance" by Oliver Bowden (the writing sucks, but he is a legit researcher and historian, so it still helped)

-"The Borgia and their Enemies" by Christopher Hibbert.

-"Lucrezia Borgia, Biography" by Sarah Bradford.

-Assassins Creed 2 database.

I believe that's about it, though there are also countless other small articles that I've searched up on the web. I have also used Machiavelli's "Prince" as a source, but not so much in this story as the next one.

And, of course, I thank all the readers who have been keeping pace with the story, reviewing and adding it to favorites. It means a lot to me, as I did not expect such an amazing response. I hope to still hear from you in the future :D Take care, and stay off those pesky drugs! They don't lead to good places. Just ask Laurie. You might need to find a necromancer first, though...


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